Origins: A Legend Unfolds
by Mertz
Summary: My version of how the Voltron Force was formed. Not strictly canon from the cartoon or the comics. Warning for sexual content and violence.
1. Chapter 1

Welcome to Origins: A Legend Unfolds. I'm breaking my golden rule of not posting a story until I've finished it. However, this is a very long story, I'm about 80% done and should have no problems completing it before I reach that point in posting. For now, I am posting to T, but the rating will go up to M somewhere in the middle due to violence and sexual scenes.

Many thanks to my friends, editors, and co-conspirators for the encouragement they always give me as I work on a story. The numbers have grown since I've started writing and I greatly appreciate the help you each have given me. Love you girls…

Enjoy!

Mertz

I make no claims to Voltron or any WEP characters.

Origins: A Legend Unfolds: Chapter 1

Prologue:

Sitting on the floor with her back against a wall and her knees up to her chest, a young girl watches the screens in front of her in horror. She had managed to sneak into the room when the battle had started. With her governess and mother gone, no one had been watching her closely and with everyone's attention on the battle, it had been easy to sneak into the room. No one had bothered to order her to leave since they were far too busy worrying about the Drule forces.

Her teary eyes move from the screens to the court advisor sitting in the chair at the control panel. _'Not just an advisor…'_ the young girl remembers as she watches him shout out orders to the other men running about the room. He turns abruptly in his seat, anger on his face as he yells, "They are going into the stratosphere after that robeast! Be ready for the fighters!" His eyes fall on the young girl and they widen, "Princess Allura! What in heaven are you doing in here?"

He starts to stand, "This is no place for a child!" then stops when he hears the sound of men screaming coming from the communication equipment. Turning back to his seat, Coran cries out, "NO!" as he watches Voltron falling out of the sky before a bright light flashes and the robot is split into its five individual pieces that continue to fall toward the planet's surface.

"Coran!"

The horrified advisor hits a button to hear a soldier state, "Sir! King Alfor just appeared before us…he is critically injured!"

"Get him to MedTech!" Coran orders then stands up. His eyes fall on the terrified princess and he races to her. Scooping her up into his arms, he runs out of castle control and down the hallways leading to the medical center. Reaching the location moments later, the advisor finds the king on a stretcher with medical staff frantically moving around him.

The doctor that had replaced old Dr. Slothum only a week ago is shouting out orders to the nurses as they try to stop the inevitable. Only when the king shouts, "Enough!" do they back away. His voice is considerably weaker as he adds, "Coran…I need Coran."

The advisor briefly glances at Dr. Gorma, who shakes his head solemnly, then approaches the dying monarch, forgetting about the child within his arms, "I am here King Alfor."

Coughing, blood forms on the king's lips as he says, "Haggar…tricked us. Her spell destroyed Voltron's spirit. The others are dead…" His eyes fall on the young girl in the advisor's arms. He reaches out to her, "Allura…"

Coran lowers the princess to the bed, who looks at her father with tearful eyes as she begs, "Father…do not go."

"Cannot stop that…now." He replies as he coughs up more blood. Alfor reaches up to touch her cheek, "I am glad…your mother…is not here for this. Her pain is ended…yours is about to begin." His eyes move back to the advisor as the princess curls up on his chest and cries, "My old friend…keep my daughter safe. Call…the other kingdoms. Tell them to get out now…before the Drule forces…" He does not finish as he violently starts coughing again.

He stills suddenly and his eyes go white as his voice becomes strong and clear, "Five men will come from a distant planet. They will reawaken Voltron and destroy the Drule invaders. Arus will rise once more…" A last breath escapes him as the king's eyes close and his head falls to the side.

"NO! FATHER!" As Allura cries and clings to her dead father, Coran looks on helplessly for a moment. Gathering himself, the advisor looks at the nursing staff, "You heard him, the Drules are coming. Get to the caves!"

Picking the princess up into his arms despite her protests, Coran rushes out of MedTech and down the hallway. He stops at castle control long enough to give orders to the man that took his place when he ran out of the room earlier, "Call the other kingdoms, tell them to get the royal families out now!" His eyes move up to the monitors to watch the Drule forces landing outside of the castle. Looking at the men around him, Coran says, "We are done. We cannot stop the Drules. Evacuate as many of the civilians to the caves as possible then get yourselves out as well." At the nods he receives, he finishes, "I am taking Princess Allura to the caves." His eyes pause on the screen once more, "Gods above help us all." Turning around with the princess still in his arms, he rushes out of the room.

Ten years later:

Standing near a monitor, a young woman stares at the information streaming across the screen. Taking it in quickly, she makes note of the numbers that need to be passed onto the advisor. Dressed in a simple black pantsuit, with the royal seal of the Storm Kingdom on the left arm, her long, blond hair is held back in a simple braid that has fallen across her shoulder and chest. Princess Allura looks up from the screen when she hears a commotion near the doors. Her eyes follow a group of men walking into the control room. They pause for a moment then finding their quarry, they walk over to the old advisor to King Alfor. Leaving her position by the monitor, she moves across the room in time to hear, "They will not give up Coran. The Drules were in the Water Kingdom again today. They are determined to capture anybody they can find."

"They are determined to find the lions."

The men turn as one to face the last remaining princess of Storm Kingdom. Several of the older men narrow their eyes at her as the eldest of the group says, "Why don't you leave this to us, Princess, and go back to your responsibilities." His tone turns sour as he adds, "Your womanly responsibilities."

Allura glares at them, her sapphire eyes ablaze as she snarls, "As the daughter of King Alfor and the last remaining royalty within the Storm Kingdom, this is my responsibility and I resent the implication that I cannot understand, nor anticipate, the decisions that need to be made regarding the Drule attacks."

As the eldest of the group opens his mouth to retort, Coran steps forward to state, "Gentlemen, thank you for the information. Please return to Water Kingdom and ensure that the remaining citizens are accounted for. Also, check the seals to King Byron's tomb…we do not want the Drules to be able to break in there."

A few disgruntled noises are his replies as the men glare at Allura in turn then leave the room to follow Coran's orders. The old advisor glances over at the agitated princess to find her face still red with her anger as she turns on him, "Those arrogant, overbearing…"

"Princess…" Coran interjects, holding up his hand to stop his charge's rant, "I know what you are going to say and you are right. But these men are from the old frame of mind that the woman's place is to have children and not to make military decisions." His eyes are sad as he finishes, "Only kings should make those kinds of decisions."

"There are no Arusian kings left to make the decisions." Allura's eyes flare even hotter. "The old days are gone. You have trained me to handle these situations and they need to get over their ancient ideas of what women can do and let me do my job."

Coran smiles softly as he studies his charge. She was so very different from the young woman she would have been had the Drules never attacked. He continues to speculate as he thinks, _'She would have been married by now to one of the princes of the other kingdoms. Then again…maybe not. King Alfor had definitely been taking his time choosing a mate for her, most of the princesses were betrothed by the time they were four, married by sixteen.'_ Noticing the angry look in her eyes again, he finally speaks, "Princess Allura, I know the old days are gone. Those men know the old days are gone, but please be patient with them." He puts a hand on her shoulder, "It is very difficult for the men to admit that they can no longer simply protect the women and that they need to work with them so we can all survive."

"It has been ten years, Coran," snorts Allura in reply, "Ten years since they could expect the women of Arus to stand by and watch the men fight. I have had enough of that attitude. They will learn to respect my position and the decisions I make, or they can go to one of the other kingdoms."

Nodding in agreement, the advisor sighs, "I will speak with them when they return."

Satisfied, Allura gestures to the monitor she had been studying prior to the men's arrival, "Come look at these numbers…" Moving across the room, Coran studies the monitor then looks back at the princess, "So the Drules are coming back in increasing numbers…"

"Yes, but I do not understand why," replies Allura as she looks back down at the monitor again, "I mean, from what you told me, for the first two years after Voltron fell, the Drules were attacking constantly. But they ceased for the next seven, only sending occasional patrols to scoop up slaves." Her eyes move back to the advisor, "Why do they return so vigorously now? Besides the lions, which do not work so would be worthless to them, what could they be looking for?"

Agitation fills Coran as he studies the young woman in front of him. Keeping his theory to himself for the time being, he replies, "I am not entirely sure, but I think we should try to acquire help from Galaxy Garrison again."

Allura snorts in reply, "We have asked over and over again for the last ten years, Coran. They have never been willing to send their forces into the Denubian Galaxy, what makes you think they will now?"

"Because, King Zarkon has defeated most of the Denubian Galaxy…" Coran starts to state, his tone speculative as he adds, "My guess is, he will set his sights on the next galaxy at some point, which will soon put Earth in danger. They will have to act soon or risk a full Drule invasion of their own."

"They should have acted ten years ago before the Denubian Galaxy was taken. We would have stood more of a chance then," argues Allura as she glares at her old advisor.

Smiling at her spirit, Coran replies, "Nothing we can do about that now. I will send another message to Admiral Graham…we have nothing to lose and everything to gain by trying."

Releasing a defeated sigh while rubbing her forehead, the princess responds, "Very well, but do not hold your breath Coran." Her eyes look sad and tired as she finishes, "Galaxy Garrison abandoned us years ago."

"Yes, well, we are due for some good luck for a change." Coran replies as he walks over to the command controls.

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Earth:

Walking quickly down the hallways of Garrison headquarters, Admiral Graham makes his way to a set of double doors with two guards standing in front. He gestures to them to move aside then waits for the doors to open. Walking inside the room, he faces the assembly of Galaxy Garrison's top military personnel. Pausing in front of a podium, the admiral states, "We've received another request from Planet Arus for aid."

"The Denubian Galaxy, Admiral Graham?" One of the older men stands up. Admiral Tameral glares at him, "We decided a long time ago that it is simply too far away to adequately protect. Our forces are spread too thin as it is…"

Holding up his hand as the chamber fills with talk, Admiral Graham replies, "I am aware of the decision that was made long before I became an admiral. I didn't agree with it then, I certainly do not agree with it now."

The room erupts with voices, some in agreement with Admiral Graham, some with Admiral Tameral. With his arms up in the air, Graham calls out, "Please gentlemen, this is getting us nowhere." As the room quiets down, he looks back at his challenger, "Ten years ago, King Zarkon was just starting his conquest of the Denubian Galaxy. We believed then that the rulers of Planet Arus, with the aid of their mechanical robot, Voltron, would be able to stave off the Drules. We were wrong. Not only did Planet Arus fall, but so has nearly every other planet in the Denubian Galaxy." His tone is full of derision as he states, "Do you honestly think Zarkon is going to be happy with his conquests and stop? He's going to move onto the next galaxy, and the next, growing more powerful until he reaches Earth."

The room erupts in voices, each drowning out the other as Admiral Tameral sits down in his chair and another man stands up. Fleet Admiral Johanssen holds up his hand for silence then states, "I agree with Admiral Graham. We can no longer sit here with our eyes closed and ignore the situation in the Denubian Galaxy." Graham looks pleased, but the smile is off his face a moment later as Johannsen continues, "However, Admiral Tameral is correct, we do not have the forces necessary to drive Zarkon from Arus or any other planet in the Denubian Galaxy."

As the voices in the room break out once more, Johannsen holds his hand up again, "I suggest a compromise. We will send one of our special teams to Arus to survey the situation, do what they can to help the people and to report back if there is more that Garrison will be able to do." Ignoring the look of anger on Graham's face, he finishes, "Meeting adjourned."

The room empties of people as Admiral Graham approaches the bench, "Admiral Johannsen, surely you know that even one of our special teams will stand very little chance…"

"I know what you are going to say Admiral Graham." Johannsen interjects as he picks up his papers and places them into his brief case. His gaze is hard as he finally looks back at the other man, "This is the best we can do for now…it is that or nothing. Select one of your teams and send them." Picking up his brief case, he nods in dismissal at the other man then leaves the room.

Swearing, Admiral Graham follows him out the door then changes directions toward his office. Reaching it, he watches as his junior assistant stands up from his desk and salutes him, "Sir!"

"At ease…" Graham says as he throws his hat on the desk, "Get me Lieutenant Commander Kogane. I want him and his team in my office in ten minutes." At the assistance's nod, the admiral continues his way into his office thinking, _'The only man I know that might be able to help Arus is Kogane…I hope he is willing to take the challenge.'_

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Standing at a vantage point, Lieutenant Commander Keith Kogane watches his men strike at each other. The objective of the fight is to knock the other person off their feet. Feeling satisfaction, he watches as Private Hunk Garrett tries to flip his sparring partner, seventeen year-old Private Darrell "Pidge" Stoker, only to have the younger man reverse the hold on him and try to get the bigger man off balance. Keith nods in approval then looks at the other two men in his group. Frustration quickly replaces the satisfaction as he watches Lieutenant Sven Holgersson try to put Private Lance McClain in a full nelson only to have McClain twist him about, with Sven's hand shoved up behind his back. Blowing the whistle he holds in his hand, Keith walks up to the pair and snarls, "What the hell Sven! You are making amateur errors!"

The pair breaks apart and Sven uses a hand to wipe at the sweat on his face, "Sorry Keith…still recovering I guess."

Keith narrows his eyes at the third-in-command, "It's been three weeks Sven, while we are all still feeling it, we need to get it together so we can be prepared when they send us out again."

As Sven nods at him in silent reply then walks over to pick up a towel to wipe his face properly, Lance snorts, "Send us out again? We are still only half a team…when are they supposed to assign us replacements?" His eyes narrow on the man in front of him a little as he snidely adds , "And a new commander?"

Resisting the urge to hit his friend, Keith retorts, "When they get around to it Lance. In the meantime, we keep to the routines Commander Smith set for us." He looks back at the other four men, "So let's get to it!" He turns his attention to the other two men that had stopped their sparring and had simply been watching the exchange, "Switch partners…Hunk, you and Lance work together…"

Hunk smiles evilly as Lance groans while looking at the big man, "Ok, now I know I pissed Keith off…"

"Stuff it McClain and get your ass over there," orders Keith as he looks over to find Pidge already moving toward Sven.

"Lieutenant Commander Kogane?"

Turning to find a Garrison messenger behind him, Keith nods to the man then hears, "You and your team have been ordered to Admiral Graham's office. Please report there immediately."

Keith nods in reply then looks at the men, "Let's get going." Each man uses a towel to quickly wipe the sweat off their faces, grabs their shirts, and pulls them on as they follow Keith out of the door. They reach the admiral's office five minutes later and walk in to find his assistant waiting for them, "You are to go in immediately."

Taking a deep breath, Keith leads the men into the admiral's office to find him sitting at a table used for small conferences. Admiral Graham gestures to them, "Have a seat gentlemen…" He waits for the men to sit down then states, "I want to extend my regrets about that last mission…"

"It only cost us half our team," whispers Lance under his breath then stops when he spots the death look Keith is giving him.

"And your commanding officer…I know." Admiral Graham finishes, ignoring the fact that McClain had been out of line. His eyes move over the remaining men as he inquires, "I gather you have sufficiently recovered from your injuries?"

"Yes Admiral," answers Keith before any of the other men can say anything.

Nodding, Graham starts, "We have another mission for you. It's a dangerous one, so you will have the right to refuse if you don't think you can do it…"

"Another mission!" Lance stands up, "We still don't have replacements for the men lost on the last one!"

"Private McClain! Sit down and shut up!" snarls Keith as he stands up as well to glare at his friend.

"Gentlemen please…" Admiral Graham holds his hands up in a placating gesture. He waits until the other two have taken their seats again before stating, "I understand Private McClain's concern, but still feel the five of you can do the job required."

"What is the mission Admiral?" Sven's quiet question has the admiral looking away from Lance and across the table to reply, "We need to send a team to Planet Arus to ascertain the situation there and to provide whatever support is possible."

"Planet Arus?" interjects Keith, "In the Denubian Galaxy? Isn't that under Drule control?"

"For the most part, yes. There are a few remaining planets holding out, but it is probably only a matter of time before the rest fall." Admiral Graham informs them as he studies each man in front of him. McClain looked ready to explode again. _'Hot head…he never has learned to control his temper.' _thinks the admiral before turning his head to look at the rest of the men. They sit with neutral looks on their faces as they listen to the conversation.

"Will we be assigned a new commander?"

Looking back at Kogane, Graham responds, "You are the new commander." His gaze shifts to the shocked faces of the others, "Holgersson, your rank will be moved up to lieutenant commander and…" He stops on McClain, "Your rank has increased to lieutenant. Try to show the decorum the rank demands, Lieutenant."

As Lance looks at him a bit stunned then manages to nod, Keith asks, "What is the condition of Arus?"

"That we are not entirely sure of," replies Graham as he sits forward in his chair. "Planet Arus was originally divided up into five kingdoms named after various sources of natural energy, wind, earth, fire, water and lightning. The kings of those kingdoms flew mechanical lions that formed a robot called Voltron when merged together. We know that, ten years ago, Zarkon managed to break apart Voltron and killed the five kings. The planet has been without proper leadership since."

He waits a moment for the information to sink in then says, "They have sent various requests over the years for assistance, a request that has been refused until now. While I would love to be able to send an entire battle group there, that is not possible." Sitting back in his chair, he finishes, "So I will send them the best group of men at my disposal."

"Were the lions destroyed?"

Admiral Graham looks over at Pidge, the first words the youngest member of the group had spoken since entering the room. Shrugging, he replies, "I'm not sure Pidge…if they weren't, that could be a project for this team to pursue in an attempt to set up a defense for the planet." His eyes move over the men sitting at the table then asks, "Do you accept the mission?"

Looking away from the admiral to each of the other men, Keith receives short nods from each in turn then turns his gaze back to the admiral, "We accept."

A smile forms on Admiral Graham's face as he replies, "Good, gather what you will need Commander. You leave as soon as you are ready."


	2. Chapter 2

I make no claims to Voltron or any WEP characters.

Origins: A Legend Unfolds: Chapter 2

Seven weeks later, Keith sits at the helm of the ship taking the group of men through the Denubian Galaxy. It had taken several days to get the ship and supplies they needed for their extended mission. After which, they had faced delays getting out of the Garrison controlled Andromeda Galaxy due to ongoing skirmishes with Emperor Zeppo's armies in the nearby Olympian Galaxy. Staring ahead at the monitor, he watches as a small blue sphere slowly grows larger as they get closer to it.

'_Arus…'_ he thinks as he stares at it. He finally looks down at Sven as the Norwegian studies the radar, "Any sign of the Drules yet?"

"None," the second-in-command states at he continues to stare at the monitor, "And that is what worries me. I didn't think we would get this far without being attacked."

Nodding, Keith glances over at Lance, "Keep us moving McClain. I want to make Arus as soon as possible."

"We aren't too far away from it now. I'm pushing the ship as fast as she can go, _Commander…_"

Keith ignores the snide tone and instead asks, "Do you have Storm Kingdom's coordinates in the guidance computer yet?"

"Yes, from the moment we entered the Denubian Galaxy," Lance replies then adds sarcastically, "This isn't my first mission."

"I'm well aware of that Lance. I just want to make sure we have all bases covered." He looks over at Hunk and Pidge, finding them deep in discussion. "What are you two doing?"

Startled, Hunk looks up at his commanding officer and flushes, "We were talking about the lions again…"

As Keith rolls his eyes in response, Pidge speaks up, "The possibilities are extraordinary Cap!"

"I know, I know…" sighs the commander as he shakes his head at them. "For now, can you two hold up your discussions of the lions until we find out if they still exist? I need you to concentrate on helping Sven scan for Drule activity." His tone is sarcastic as he finishes, "I would like to reach Arus in one piece…"

At their nods, Keith turns back to his flight log and works on his daily entries. Sven's panicked voice brings his attention back quickly as he suddenly yells, "DRULE ACTIVITIY…SECTION 2. THEY ARE COMING UP BEHIND US FAST!"

Twisting in his chair, the commander calls out to Pidge, "Shields up!" then Hunk, "Engage weapons systems!" His eyes move forward as he calls out, "Lance, if there is any speed left you can get out of this thing…"

"I'm on it!" the lieutenant calls back as he pushes buttons on the control panel.

A moment later the ship rocks against the missile that hits it. Pidge calls out, "The shield won't hold against many of those…"

"Evasive maneuvers! How far are we from Arus, Lance?" questions Keith, holding onto his chair as another missile hits the ship.

"It's just in front of us!"

Looking up, he finds the blue sphere has grown significantly in the short time since he last looked at the monitors. The shudder of the ship brings his attention back to the issue at hand. "Hunk!" Keith cries out, "Try to keep them off of us!"

"I'm working on it Cap!" the big man replies as he targets the fighters coming up behind them, "Take this you Drule bastards!" and he presses the button to fire missiles back at them. The ship rocks again and Pidge states, "The communication equipment is gone. One more hit and we will lose the shields completely!"

"LANCE!" shouts out the commander in a demanding way, even as the aqua blue color of Planet Arus becomes clear on the monitors.

"Almost there!"

"Hunk! Drule fighters coming at us on our six!" yells Sven as he looks away from the radar screen and over at the big man.

"There's too many of them!" Hunk yells back as the ship rocks with the next blast.

"Shield gone!" cries Pidge as he looks helplessly back at his commanding officer.

Keith sends up a little prayer as they enter Arus' atmosphere, several Drule fighters behind them.

xxxxxxxxxx

Racing down the hallways, Princess Allura quickly reaches her destination and slams her hand on the button to open the doors to the control room. Running inside, she calls out to Coran as he works the controls while staring up at the monitor, "I heard the alert! What is going on?"

He glances back at her then back up at the monitor as he replies, "Unknown space ship being fired upon by Drule fighters. I have been unable to contact them."

Allura stares up at the monitors as the ship enters the Arusian atmosphere then looks back at her advisor with a determined look in her eyes, "Protect them."

Nodding, Coran turns back in his chair to the monitors. Pressing several buttons, he calls out, "Ground gunnery, fire on the Drule fighters!"

"Affirmative Coran…"

xxxxxxxxxx

Breaking through the cloud deck, Keith feels the ship shake once more as Lance calls out, "That's it…they killed the main engine! I have minimal control!"

Swearing, Keith watches as the ruins of a castle come into view. Suddenly laser blasts fire up at them from the area around the castle. He hears Lance yell, "What the fuck! They are attacking…"

"NO!" Sven overrides him, "They are firing on the Drule ships!"

Sure enough, Keith watches the monitors to find the blasts going around their ship. The rear monitor shows several of the Drule fighters being blown out of the sky. Their ship shakes with the hit of another missile and Lance cries out, "Stabilizers gone! We are going down!"

"Try to put us near that castle Lance!" orders Keith as he fastens his shoulder harness around him. He listens to Lance grunt out, "Sure…no problem…I have no control of the fucking ship, but sure!"

"SHUT UP AND GET US ON THE GROUND IN ONE PIECE, MCCLAIN!" Hunk yells over at him as his eyes, wide with fear, watch the ground coming up at them fast on the monitors.

xxxxxxxxxx

"They are crashing!" Coran states as he turns around to face the princess. Her eyes are up on the screen, watching as the ground crew's lasers continue to blow away the Drule ships, but many remain. Her eyes fly back to the advisor, "We need a ground team up there to help them! I am going up!"

"NO HIGHNESS! IT IS TOO DANGEROUS!" cries out Coran even as Allura turns around and runs out of the room. Swearing under his breath, he turns back around to grab the comm. unit, "Ground crew, be ready to help survivors. Be warned, Princess Allura is joining you."

"Roger that Coran."

xxxxxxxxxx

All of the men cry out as the ship lands hard on the Arusian surface, bounces once more, then becomes still on the ground. Groaning as he sits back up in his seat, the remains of his shoulder harness around him, Keith puts a hand to his forehead and pulls it away to find blood. Grimacing, he glances around at the other men, "Status! Hunk! Pidge!"

He hears more groans as they rise from their seats, "Here Cap…"

"God…I've had better landings…"

Keith turns his gaze to find Lance climbing out of the pilot's seat, looking a little bruised and battered, then he glances around, "Where's Sven?"

"Over…here…"

Hunk quickly rushes over and pulls a broken ceiling panel away from the area Sven sits in. The Norwegian rises slowly, blood visible on his face as he says, "We need to get out of this ship…"

Looking forward, Keith watches the monitor as it blinks off and on. Briefly, he sees Drule ships landing around them then sparks fly from around the screen and it turns off completely. "Shit!" Picking up his blaster, he states, "Prepare for hand to hand combat." Rising from his chair, he stumbles forward only to have Lance catch him, "You ok Keith?"

"Worry about me later when we don't have Drules all over us!" he orders then pushes himself upright.

The group makes their way to the back of the ship and Lance quickly walks over to cargo bay switches. He looks back at the others as they cut to the sides then says, "Get ready…" Pushing down on the emergency control, the door blows backward and suddenly laser blasts litter the area. Keith cries out, "Open fire!" then starts firing on the Drule soldiers trying to make their way into the ship.

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Reaching the surface, Allura looks up in time to watch the ship fly over them then crash nearby. Rushing forward, she meets up with the ground troops and instructs, "We need to get to that ship! Stop the Drules at any costs!"

"Yes Highness!"

Blaster in hand, the princess rushes with the ground troops as they try beating the Drules to the survivors of the ship.

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"SHIT! They've got us pinned down Cap!" Pidge cries out as he continues firing on the robot soldiers that seem to keep coming. Swearing to himself, Keith feels a momentary sense of imbalance and shakes his head to clear it. Aiming to the left, he fires and knocks down yet another Drule.

"If we can't get off this ship, we are goners!" Lance calls out as he fires, jumps over some wreckage to get a better position, then continues firing.

Sven moves closer to his commanding officer to ask, "Got any ideas to force them back?"

"No," Keith replies quietly, trying to keep himself upright as another wave of dizziness attacks him.

Looking sharply at his commander, Sven is about to ask him if he is all right when Lance calls out, "LOOK! They are backing off!"

Keith looks forward to find the Drules are indeed retreating. Another robot soldier falls, the blast coming from the outside of the ship. He observes as Lance sprints forward, "Any enemy of the Drules has to be a friend of ours!" and rushes out to join in the fight. Then he watches the rest of his men join the lieutenant before stumbling forward himself.

Reaching the edge of the ship, Keith grips the side as his vision temporarily blurs. Shaking his head again to clear it, he watches a group of men unknown to him rushing forward after the retreating Drules, followed by his own men. Stepping down off the ship, he bends over to lower his head below his heart when he hears a female voice ask, "Are you all right?" Standing upright, he finds a beautiful, blond woman in front of him, her sapphire eyes full of concern as she looks him over.

Princess Allura feels her heart rate quicken as the injured man from the ship stands upright, taking her breath away. At least six foot tall and extremely muscular, the handsome stranger has eyes as dark as midnight with shoulder length hair to match. Concern fills her when she notices the blood running down the side of his face from a gash on his forehead. His warm voice washes over her as he asks, "Who are you?" About to open her mouth to answer, Allura screams instead when she is grabbed from behind.

Keith watches the woman being grabbed, his head injury slowing him down so that he cannot react in time to prevent it. The Drule soldier glares at him as he holds a blaster to the woman's head and orders, "Drop it," Glancing down at the blaster in his hand, Keith looks back at the soldier as the robot adds, "or I will kill her!" Nodding, the commander takes a step then stumbles forward as if about to fall. In a flash, he rolls forward then points and fires.

Another scream escapes out of Allura as she feels the laser blast from the stranger go past her and into the head of the robot behind her. His grip on her loosens and she pulls away, turning back to find the Drule lying on the ground, a blaster mark in his forehead as he blindly stares up at the night sky. Looking back at the other man, Allura watches him stumble toward her, his face completely white now as he asks, "You ok?" then falls forward onto the ground.

"Oh Gods!" She rushes to him, turning him over as he groans. Tightening her grip on him, she holds him close as she pushes his hair out of his face. His eyelids flutter open, he looks blankly up at her for a moment then his eyes close, and his body goes limp.

"KEITH!"

Allura looks up to find four men she does not know running toward her, followed by the ground troops she had brought with her. One of them drops in front of her, his fingers going to the neck of the man in her arms to check for a pulse. He looks up at her to say, "He's alive, just unconscious."

Nodding, Allura replies, "We have medical facilities at the compound. We should get him there quick."

Glancing back at the other men, Sven gestures Hunk forward to help with Keith then faces the woman before him once more to ask, "Who are you?"

"Princess Allura of Storm Kingdom, and you are?" she replies as she stands back up.

"I believe you sent for us. Names can wait I think, but we are from Galaxy Garrison."

Allura nods as she watches the biggest man of the group pick up the unconscious one in a fireman's lift. Signaling her men, she says, "Follow me." As she turns and walks back through the woods with her men, Lance steps closer to Sven as Hunk passes by them to follow the soldiers with Keith, "A princess…a real one? This assignment just got interesting."

Finding a look of lasciviousness in his friend's eyes, Sven orders him, "Cool it Lance. We don't need you doing something that could get us all into trouble." The lieutenant rolls his eyes but agrees before following the others, "Fine…for now." Groaning, the Norwegian catches the smile on Pidge's face before the youngest member hurries to follow Lance, leaving Sven to bring up the rear.


	3. Chapter 3

First of all, many thanks to the reviewers, the thoughts and comments are very much appreciated. Secondly, I thought I would answer a couple of the questions for all to see so that they aren't repeated over and over again. As to my choice of writing in present tense, those that have followed my stories from the first know that I have always written in present tense. To me, a story is occurring as you read it, kind of like a movie in my head. Therefore, writing in past tense doesn't really fit that image.

I don't want to offend anyone, but a writer's style is their style I'm afraid and I wouldn't ask someone to change theirs to suit my reading habits. If I did try to change it, I'm afraid my stories would end up in a mess of grammar problems with a mix of past and present tense. So sorry to those that feel inconvenienced by it, but I don't plan on changing my style to past tense.

Next was the question of using abbreviated speech. Yes, most of the time that is used in writing and I myself use it most of the time. However, in Origins, I decided to give the royal members and some of the other members of Arusian society a more "formal" way of speaking that doesn't include abbreviated speech. You will notice Keith and the others using it, but not Allura or any other member of royalty in these stories. Again, a choice I made.

Hope you all keep enjoying the story and keep the comments coming, I do enjoy them.

Thanks!

Mertz

I make no claims to Voltron or any WEP characters.

Origins: A Legend Unfolds: Chapter 3

The sound of voices reaches through the fog in his mind. Keith groans softly then feels a soft hand against his cheek. It's gone a moment later but he can still hear her musical voice, "I think he is coming to. Dr. Gorma said he should wake up at any time." His brow furrows as he thinks, _'I've heard that voice before…but where?'_ However, the memory will not come to him.

Forcing his eyes to open, the light above his bed and the fuzziness in his eyes only allows him to see a blurry, blonde form above him. She moves slightly closer, the blueness of her eyes visible as she exclaims, "He is awake!"

Her form moves away and another, darker one takes her place. This time, Keith has no problem recognizing the voice with the slight accent as Sven whispers, "Keith? Can you hear me?"

"Yes, just can't see you very well, get that damned light out of my eyes," the commander retorts as he lifts a hand to block the light in his face. The room dims immediately and Keith blinks several times before he can make out the face of his second-in-command and friend. "Sven…status?"

A smile crosses the Norwegian's face as he replies, "Figures, you just wake up from your head injury and the first thing you can think of is to ask what's going on."

Keith pushes himself up into a sitting position then feels a wave of dizziness go through him, forcing him to close his eyes again. Sven's concerned voice reaches through the vertigo, "Easy my friend, that was a nasty hit you took to the head. The good doctor said you were lucky though, it's just a slight concussion."

Once the nausea recedes, the commander again asks, "Status?"

Sighing, Sven replies, "We are in the underground compound of the Storm Kingdom. They were the ones that were firing the laser blasts from the ground at the Drule ships and routed the soldiers that were trying to take us when we crashed."

Starting to nod in reply, Keith stops when pain goes through his head instead. Putting a hand to his bandaged forehead, he winces then asks, "Anyone else injured?"

"Not really…a few cuts, but mostly bumps and bruises. You got the worst of it," replies Sven as he studies the commander closely.

"I'm fine Sven," Keith retorts as that piercing gaze irritates him. He looks up to find the blonde from the woods watching him closely as well and becomes even more annoyed as he snarls, "Who the devil are you?"

Allura stiffens as those eyes that she thought were so kind in the woods now stare at her with anger. Feeling her own annoyance rising, she informs him, "I am Princess Allura of Storm Kingdom. Who the devil are you?" Knowing very well what his name is since the one called Sven had informed her earlier.

Narrowing his eyes at her tone, Keith starts to rise off the bed then becomes overcome with dizziness and sudden nausea. Lurching forward, he can feel Sven grabbing onto him even as he vomits, followed by the sound of utter disgust then a door opening and closing. He hears the humor Sven is trying to keep out of his voice as he pushes him back onto the bed then states, "I don't think you made a very good impression puking on her shoes like that…"

Shifting his gaze as the dizziness leaves him again, he can see through the observation window the princess angrily gesturing to someone in the hallway before storming away. Groaning, Keith swallows hard against the nausea still threatening him and inquires, "Where are the others?"

"Sleeping by now, I hope." The Norwegian answers as he hands his friend a glass of water. "Sip that slowly…" As Keith sips on the water, Sven continues, "When we got here, Dr. Gorma looked you over first then glanced at the rest of us. You really should be nicer to Princess Allura. She made sure we were fed, given clean clothing and rooms to stay in. I ordered the others to bed a while ago."

"I'll apologize later," says Keith as he hands back the water glass then lies back against his pillows once more, closing his eyes. Sven studies him closely for a moment more then informs him, "Well, if you are all right, I think I will find my own bed. Been a long day and it's pretty late."

Opening his eyes to look back at his friend, the commander replies, "Go, I'll see you in the morning. We need to figure out the situation…"

"Yes, I know," interjects Sven, "It can wait until tomorrow I think."

Waving his friend away as exhaustion overcomes him; Keith yawns as he says, "Good night," then closes his eyes to fall back asleep. Sven shakes his head at the commander then makes his way out of the room.

xxxxxxxxxx

Planet Doom:

Walking very quickly down the halls of the castle, Cossack enters the throne room to find the king upon his throne, drinking his wine, and the old witch sitting in her customary place behind him. Her blue cat sits upon her lap as she strokes his fur. He pushes through the minions standing about the room then kneels in front of the golden stairs leading up to the throne, "My king…"

Zarkon stares down at his third in command and narrows his eyes at him, "Cossack, why do you disturb me?"

"Troubling news," replies the Drule before he stands up once more to face Zarkon. "We had a squadron of fighters pick up a Garrison ship on their radar. They attacked it, but have not reported in since. We are assuming they were lost."

Standing up from his throne, Zarkon demands, "Where was the ship headed?"

"Planet Arus."

His eyes narrow as he turns to look back at the old witch, "What do you see?"

Nodding her head in deference as the cat jumps off her lap, Haggar picks up her staff, raises it and a crystal appears. She gazes into it silently for several long moments before saying, "Men from Galaxy Garrison. They seek the lions and Voltron."

"You destroyed that robot, witch. Do not tell me they can bring it back," snarls the Drule king as he takes a menacing step forward.

"Not destroyed King Zarkon, only broken. However, it will take more than finding the lions alone to reform Voltron…"

"I care not!" Zarkon interjects then turns back to Cossack, "I want more squadrons sent to Arus. Find the Garrison soldiers and kill them. Arus is mine and will remain mine."

Cossack nods, bows then turns about and leaves the throne room. Turning back to the witch, the king demands, "Lotor is wasting his time with that whore for a princess on Planet…" he pauses, unable to think of the name.

"Po…"

"I don't care what planet!" Zarkon interrupts her response, "Tell him to finish the treaty and get back here. I do not trust Cossack to do the job correctly." He picks up his goblet from the side table beside his throne and takes a deep drink of the blood red wine. Turning back to the old witch, he throws the goblet down at her feet, "I want those Garrison soldiers found and killed and I want it now!"

"Yes sire," Haggar replies then disappears.

xxxxxxxxxx

Awakening very late the next morning, Keith opens his eyes to find an older man standing near his bed. Tall with chestnut colored hair streaked with grey, he has wrinkles along the corners of his eyes and his mouth is mostly hidden beneath a long, bushy mustache. Dressed in a simple white shirt with a bow tie and a long, formal coat, the man smiles at him then says, "Good morning, Commander Kogane. Or since we are less than an hour away from the noon meal, perhaps I should say good afternoon?" Keith's eyebrows lift in confusion and the older man chuckles, "Sorry, I did not introduce myself. I am Coran Montrane, advisor to Princess Allura. You will have to excuse her Highness, she intended to visit you this morning, but seems to be suffering some petulance over a pair of boots."

Keith does not reply, instead he continues to lie in the bed staring at his visitor with curiosity. The advisor's eyebrows go up as he asks, "Do you need Dr. Gorma? I was made to understand that your head injury was not serious, but perhaps…"

"No, I'm fine," the commander manages to answer as he gingerly sits up on the bed. A brief feeling of dizziness slips over him but it quickly goes away. Glancing toward the observation window behind the older man to find it empty, he asks, "Where are my men?"

"Well, I have not seen them this morning yet since they left early to retrieve your gear and other supplies from your ship. However, I believe they will be having lunch with her Highness in the dining room soon." Coran picks up a bathrobe and holds it out to him. "I have come to show you to your room so you can clean up and change clothes then you may join them."

Rising slowly to his feet, Keith reaches out for the robe only for the advisor to hold it open for him. Turning around, he slides his arms in then feels it being pushed over his shoulders. Keith quickly ties the belt of the robe over the hospital gown he is wearing then turns back to hear, "If you will follow me, Commander."

Moving slowly less he becomes dizzy again, Keith follows the advisor out of the hospital room and down the hallway. He looks around as he walks down the halls behind the older man, noticing the rock wall in places as they continue to move through the compound. Occasionally they pass other men, whom Coran simply nods to in greeting. Soon they reach a series of doors along a hall and the advisor stops near one. "This will be your room for the duration of your stay. Your clothing has been put away for you. Please make use of the bathing facilities and I will be back in thirty minutes to escort you to the dining room."

Keith gives a brief nod to the older man then walks into the room. As the door closes behind him, he glances about to find a bed and a desk he could work at, with a chair in front of it. A dresser is near a set of doors he presumes is the closet. On the other side of the room is another door. Guessing correctly that it is the bathroom, Keith moves over to it.

Walking inside, he finds a door on the other side. Curious, he walks over to it and opens it to find another bedroom. Thinking, _'So much for not sharing…hope that isn't Lance's room.'_ Keith makes his way toward the shower as he strips off the robe and hospital gown.

xxxxxxxxxx

Thirty minutes later, as promised, Keith answers the knock at his door to find the advisor in front of him once more. Coran smiles at him as he looks the commander over. Dressed in a standard Garrison uniform of black pants and jacket with a white shirt underneath, Keith's rank shines on his shoulder where the insignia rests. He had managed to brush back his normally messy hair to make himself look presentable.

"If you are ready Commander, the others have already gathered in the dining room."

Keith nods as he steps out of his room and walks with the advisor down the hall. After three turns, they approach a set of double doors at the end of a hallway. As they get closer, the commander notices several large paintings lining the walls. Looking at them as they pass, Keith notes the regal looking men in them.

"Those are past kings of Storm Kingdom…" Looking over at Coran, the commander watches him gesture to the pictures, "These are among the few things we managed to get out of the castle before the Drule ships destroyed it." The older man glances to the side at him to add, "After they had looted what they wanted of course."

"Of course…" mutters Keith as he pauses just before the double doors. This painting contains a man with sapphire blue eyes and brown hair that goes to his shoulders, standing behind a regal looking woman with honey blonde hair and green eyes, his hand on her shoulder as she sits in a chair. The advisor stops beside him to say, "Ahh, King Alfor and Queen Moira, shortly after they wed. They had meant to have one done with the children, but it was not finished before the Drules attacked." He gestures to the doors, "Shall we?"

Stepping past the older man, Keith walks into the dining room to find his men seated around the table, talking animatedly. They stop when they notice him and Sven rises from his seat as he says, "Good afternoon, Commander Kogane."

The rest follow, however, when Keith meets Lance's eyes they turn sardonic. Ignoring him, he replies, "Good afternoon, at ease." As the men return to their seats, his eyes finally fall on the remaining person at the table. She glances up at him then looks away as if dismissing him from her mind.

Irritation fills Keith as he tries to think of her name but cannot remember it. Therefore, he simply greets her, "Good afternoon, your Highness."

Allura looks back at him, her anger over his treatment of her in his hospital room the night before returning when she notices the look of irritation in his eyes. She does not return the greeting. Instead, the princess gives him a cold stare, simply nods then looks away again.

"If you will have a seat Commander, lunch will be served."

Keith looks over at Coran to find him moving around the table and taking a seat next to the princess. Finding an empty chair in front of him between Pidge and Lance, he sits down then watches the door on the other side of the room opening. Two young women walk into the room with serving trays in hand. They move around the table, placing plates in front of the occupants then disappear from the room.

Looking over his plate to find a type of meat, some kind of vegetable he does not recognize and a thick slab of bread, Keith picks up his napkin to place it on his lap then starts eating, happy to discover it tastes delicious. He looks across the table to find Sven studying him closely. His friend smiles at him then asks, "You slept longer than we thought you would this morning. How's your head today?"

Out of the corner of his eye, Keith sees the princess look up as if interested. Ignoring her, he replies, "I have a slight headache, other than that, I'm fine."

"Vertigo?" Sven questions further.

"Only when I move too fast," he retorts then deliberately looks back to his plate to continue eating and ending the conversation. The room falls silent during the course of the rest of the meal.

Coran finishes and sets his napkin on his plate then looks across the table. His gaze moves over the men in turn, taking note of their general size and affirming to himself that they are indeed military men. He looks over at the princess to find her studying the men as well, her eyes lingering on the commander a moment longer than the rest. His lips twitch with a smile that he tries to cover by picking up his teacup.

He had heard the entire story the night before, how the commander had killed the Drule soldier that had threatened Allura, to the end of the night where he had insulted her then vomited on her boots in MedTech. She had refused to go with him to check on the man that morning, saying that she did not have another pair of boots to spare. Coran had chuckled at that comment only to receive a glare for it before the princess had left the room. He sighs as he thinks, _'Irritated with him or not…Allura finds the man attractive.'_

Once the men had set their napkins down as well, Coran clears his throat, "Commander, your men did give us a small amount of information last night. However, we are wondering when will more Garrison men arrive?"

Keith stiffens slightly then gives the others a look, warning them to remain silent. Looking back at the advisor, he replies, "We are the only men Garrison is sending. Surely Admiral Graham informed you…"

Shaking his head, Coran sighs, "We have occasional trouble with communication outside of Arus. Currently a solar storm is blocking communications with Earth. We heard nothing and were not even aware you and your men were being sent." He pauses when he hears movement by the door leading to the kitchen. Grimacing, he stands, "Perhaps this conversation is better suited to a more private room."

Allura looks up at him confused as she stands as well then notices the advisor glancing back at the kitchen door. Irritated, the princess gestures to the men, "If you will follow me, there is a conference room we can use instead."

As she leads the way out of the room, Keith pauses to look over at the kitchen door in time to see it move slightly. Grimacing at the implication that the people here might not be trustworthy, he turns around and walks with the advisor out of the room. They walk down the hallway and turn into another corridor before reaching a door. The princess opens it and steps inside, followed by the other men.

Taking the first seat at the end of the table, Coran sits down then waits for the others to sit down before he looks over at the princess. She meets his eyes then nods while sitting back in her chair. When she turns to look across the table at the new commander, Coran clears his throat, "Gentlemen, while we are glad you are here, we thought there would be more of you."

Resisting the urge to scowl, Keith replies, "We are a specialized team, created just for these types of situations. Galaxy Garrison feels we are quite capable of helping you."

"Quite…" Coran retorts dryly.

Allura glances between the men then clears her throat, "We had hoped for weapons and more fighters. Not to impugn you or your men, but I fail to see what five men alone can do."

"We are here to survey the conditions of Arus and provide what coverage we can, Princess…" Keith pauses while searching his memory for her name.

"My name is Princess Allura, daughter of the late King Alfor of Storm Kingdom," she haughtily informs him, guessing correctly that he had forgotten her name and feeling affronted. She tilts her head back slightly as she raises her chin, her gaze frigid.

Gritting his teeth to stop himself from telling her what he thinks of her title, Keith replies, "My apologies Princess Allura. I was a bit out of it when I woke up last night and didn't remember your name."

"We can appreciate that Commander Kogane," Coran replies when Allura does not immediately answer him, her irritation with the commander over the results of that meeting, a ruined pair of soft leather, black boots and the fact that he had forgotten her name still visible on her face.

"Do the lions still exist?"

Pidge's voice breaks into the conversation and Keith sighs then shoots him a disgusted look. Turning his attention back to the advisor, he states, "Sorry, when it comes to all things mechanical, Pidge and Hunk are like a couple of kids in a candy shop. I guess I should be surprised they managed to stay quiet this long when they've been discussing the possibilities of the lions since we heard about them."

Fighting to keep a smile off his face, Coran looks over at Allura to find her equally amused, her earlier irritation gone. She nods at him and he turns back to the eager face of the one called Pidge, "Yes, they do."

As Hunk and Pidge share an excited look, the advisor continues, "However, there is a slight problem."

"And that is?"

Coran does smile at this; even the commander sounds eager now and is sitting up more in his chair. "Well, you will have to understand a few things first. The lions are a mixture of science and magic."

"Magic?" Lance sits forward, his expression cynical as he arches an eyebrow at them.

"Yes, magic," repeats Coran as he turns back to the others. Sven reaches over and hits Lance in the arm in warning as the advisor continues, "The Royal Houses of Arus all possess magic, they have for eons. The king of each kingdom was in charge of a lion. That lion used the natural resource of the kingdom they were a part of as its energy source. Red lion belongs to the Fire Kingdom. Green lion, the Wind Kingdom, Yellow lion, the Earth Kingdom, Blue lion the Water Kingdom and of course, Black lion belongs to us. In order to operate a lion, however, a key is needed."

"Do you possess the keys?" This question came from the second-in-command, who had been quiet up until that point.

"Yes and no," the advisor replies as the glances across at the princess.

As the men look around confused, Allura interjects, "When Haggar split the lions in that last battle, they fell back to the planet and returned to their lairs. However, the keys all disappeared from them. Each key, to our knowledge, is now in a chamber off the lair of the lion. In order to gain the key, a man must prove himself worthy of the lion."

"I'm guessing that hasn't happened yet," Keith sighs as he slumps dejectedly in his seat once more.

"Not in ten years Commander, and believe me when I say, many men have _died _trying to get those keys," Coran states solemnly as he looks about the table at the varying expressions of the other men.

"How do you know for sure that they are even there?" Pidge asks as he studies the advisor closely.

"We were…informed…of it," evasively Coran states then quickly changes the subject, "In order to gain the key, the seeker must face a trial. Only the worthy man will attain the key."

"So what are the trials?" Hunk asks and Allura quickly looks over at him to reply, "We do not know. Only the man that enters the chamber to attain the key would know and none have returned."

"We have a theory however."

The men all look at the advisor as he gestures with his hands, "Each king valued something different, a trait if you will, in the men he surrounded himself with. It goes without saying that the trial most likely has something to do with that trait." As the men continue to look at him in a slightly confused way, he says, "Things like intelligence, bravery, determination, strength or discipline."

Keith barely keeps from rolling his eyes as he looks over at the others. Lance is openly showing his skepticism, while Sven sits quietly, his expression showing nothing of his thoughts. Hunk and Pidge had put their heads together and seemed to be discussing the possible trials. Sighing deeply, he looks back at the princess and notes that her eyes are the same color as her father's from that portrait. Quietly, her eyes move from one man to another, trying to read their reactions. When she finally meets his gaze, her cheeks redden slightly, but her gaze does not waver as she arches an eyebrow at him in challenge.

Clearing his throat and looking away, Keith decides to change the subject and asks, "What is the status of the other kingdoms?"

"Even we are not entirely sure of that, Commander." Coran sighs deeply as he sits back in his chair. "We have minimal contact with them and in one case, none at all." He glances at the princess, who looks away, then continues, "You have to understand that when Arus fell, it was up to each kingdom to see to the evacuation of their own people. Here, we got many people out, but other kingdoms were not as lucky. The survivors are a suspicious lot and I am afraid that suspiciousness is what has kept them alive. Outsiders to a kingdom are not welcome; therefore our knowledge of them is limited."

Rubbing his face in a tired sort of way, Keith quietly replies, "That's understandable…"

"May I ask, how did you come about these caverns?"

Sven's question pulls everyone's attention away from the commander. This time the princess answers, "The tunnels between the lions' lairs and the kingdoms have existed for ages. However, the story goes that my great-great grandfather had a vision of a time when Arus would be overrun with invaders. He ordered that an underground base be built and encouraged the other kings to do the same." She falls silent for a moment before she finishes, "Not every kingdom did."

Silence echoes in the room for several long moments before Keith sits up again, "All right, first we need to get an idea of the situation here. Then we need to establish some kind of contact with the other kingdoms. I want to know how many survivors are at each location, what kind of weapons they have available and if perhaps, they know more about these trials to attain the keys than you two do."

"But Cap…the lions!"

Keith looks over at the earnest face of Pidge, he sighs as he states, "We need to understand the situation better before we just walk into it."

"You can see the Black lion, Private Stoker," interjects the advisor as he smiles at the teenager, "Without the key, you cannot do much, but you are welcome to take a look at it."

Sharing an excited glance with Pidge, Hunk asks, "Can we go now?"

Allura smiles at their enthusiasm as she replies, "Of course."


	4. Chapter 4

I make no claims to Voltron or any WEP characters.

Origins: A Legend Unfolds: Chapter 4

Walking down a long, man-made tunnel, Keith listens to Coran explain, "This is a service tunnel leading to the lion's cavern. Each kingdom has one to their lion and as the princess explained earlier, there are tunnels between the caverns. Since the death of the king, we have built a launch system from our control room leading out here to enable a pilot to reach it quickly."

"Wouldn't that have already existed?" Lance asks in confusion as he continues walking.

The advisor smiles back at him as he replies, "No, the kings had the ability to disappear and reappear at will. So when they needed to reach the lions, they would just appear there." Shaking his head in disbelief, Lance looks over at Keith to find him gesturing for him to be quiet.

Keith looks ahead and finds a bright light at the end of the tunnel coming closer with each step he takes. As they walk through the opening into a much larger cavern, his jaw drops as he looks up. A giant, black, mechanical lion sits on its haunches in front of them. A crest lies against the chest, showing each of the kingdom's individual emblems. Keith continues to look up at the robotic beast in awe as he listens to the advisor continue to explain, "The Black lion is the body of Voltron and therefore the largest of the lions. It contains the main controls for him. The Red and Green lions attach as arms and hands while the Blue and Yellow lions make up the legs and feet." Gesturing upward, Coran finishes, "The mouth of Black lion opens to reveal Voltron's face."

Forcing his own mouth shut finally, Keith looks over to find the equally awe struck expressions of his teammates. Hunk and Pidge seem to recover the quickest and glance at each other excitedly before rushing forward. Soon they are crawling up the back of the lion and examining different sections. Keith watches as Lance moves around the lion, pausing to touch different surfaces before moving on. Glancing next to him when Sven approaches, he hears, "It's like nothing you've ever seen before…is it?"

Shaking his head, Keith starts to reply then stops when his eyes fall on a door off to one side of the huge cavern. A lion standing on his haunches with a bolt of lightning in his mouth is carved into the door. As he studies it from afar, he notices the eyes of the lion glowing, a pale yellow color.

As Sven moves forward to examine the lion, the commander walks away from the others. He continues to stare at the door, almost in a trance, as he moves toward it. The sound of a lion roaring draws him forward until he reaches it and grabs onto the handle.

From across the room, Allura smiles as she listens to Hunk and Pidge talk while examining the lion. Hearing the roar of the lion, she shifts her gaze then calls out, "NO!" as she watches the commander open the door and walk inside.

Hunk and Pidge stop mid-conversation to look down in confusion. Lance quickly moves around the backside of the lion to ask, "What's going on?" Twisting around from the place where he was studying the lion, Sven sees a flash of Keith's uniform just before a door on the other side of the room closes behind the commander and seals. Upon seeing the princess rushing in that direction, he follows, quickly catching up to her as she tries to pull on the handle of the door to no avail. "Princess! What is wrong?"

The others catch up as well, with Lance demanding, "What the hell is going on?"

Allura turns to face them, her face pale and her eyes full of fear as she quietly utters, "The commander…Keith…entered the key room." As they look at her in horror, Coran's voice echoes from behind them, "The trial has begun, there is nothing we can do now but wait and pray the commander returns."

xxxxxxxxxx

Walking into the dimly lit room, Keith once again hears the roar of a lion and stops moving as the sound echoes in the room. He shakes his head as if to clear it then looks around in surprise. The room is simply a carved out section of the tunnel with a few torches along the walls, giving off a small amount of light. In the center of the room, the emblem of the Storm Kingdom is carved into the floor. Glancing around, the commander spies several sets of human remains near the walls, mostly skeletal in nature, of the past key seekers. His eyes continue to move about the room curiously, noticing various weapons lining the walls until he reaches the backside of the room.

An altar rests against the far wall with two torches on either side of it. A royal blue cloth covers the altar and lying suspended above it, looks to be a key. Moving forward slowly, Keith continues to look around for something to attack him. As he steps onto the emblem, the torches flash brightly and a ball of light appears before him. A deep, male voice asks, "What do you seek?"

Taken aback, Keith stares up at the ball of light in astonishment before finding his voice, "The key to the Black lion so that I may protect Arus."

"It takes more than the key to be considered worthy of the Black lion."

Keith's eyes widen in surprise as the ball of light changes while lowering to the ground, growing larger until it forms the shape a lion. Completely white, with a long mane of hair going down its back, the lion roars at him, the sharp teeth visible in its open mouth. Crouching into a fighter's stance, Keith's eyes move to the various weapons on the walls around him as he wonders, _'How the fuck am I supposed to defeat a lion?'_

He looks back up to find the lion pacing back and forth in front of him as if waiting for him to make the first move. Moving slowly, he takes a step to his right only to find the lion keeping pace with him. Swearing softly, he moves back to the center and watches the lion move back as well. His eyes move over the creature again, noting even though the animal seems impatient, the lion is still waiting for him to move again. Shifting his gaze, Keith looks at the weapons around him once more then at the bodies lining the walls around them as he realizes what happened to them. _'Shit…if I try to grab a weapon, he will pounce…'_

Studying the lion again as he searches for its weakness, Keith finally looks into its face. He is shocked to see familiar eyes…eyes that he had seen in a painting earlier that day. A bright, sapphire blue in color, they study him closely while the lion continues to pace as it waits for him to make another move. A sense of hopelessness at the situation fills him as the commander struggles to come to a decision. _'Damn it…I can't stay here forever.'_

Taking a chance, he takes a step backward toward the door only to have the lion's head come up and a growling sound emit from it. Keith swears loudly this time, the sound echoing in the cavern and moves forward once more to his original spot. The lion goes back to its pacing and the commander groans as he thinks over his options. _'This is impossible. I can't beat the lion without a weapon and it will kill me before I reach them.' _A sudden thought comes to him and he thinks, _'Would it work?' _Dropping to his knees, Keith bows his head in submission as he says, "King Alfor, I humbly ask for the key to Black lion."

The sound of the lion's breathing pauses for a moment then he can see the feet of the lion moving as it comes closer to him. Keeping his head bowed, Keith fights against every instinct to stand and fight or run. Fear runs through him when the lion roars once more, the sound deafening with the beast right in front of him. Suddenly, a pair of shiny boots replaces the lion's paws. Looking up, he finds the ghostly image of the king from the painting, only older looking, in front of him as he states, "It takes intelligence to recognize that sometimes even a brave man must bow to an unbeatable force. The key is yours…" then disappears.

Releasing the breath he had not realized he had been holding, Keith rises slowly to his feet and looks around to find the weapons on the walls gone, as well as the bodies. The room is bright with light as he moves toward to the altar. Stopping just before it, he stares at the key for a moment, waiting to see if something else would happen. The blade of the key is gold in color. The bow of it is red and blue and a golden cross with a crown above it rests in the center.

Keith looks away from the key again to look about the room. Deciding that there is no other threat, he reaches forward, his fingers enclosing around the key. The sound of a lion roaring echoes around the room once more as Keith feels a type of energy moving through his body. As it leaves him, he stumbles slightly, his free hand holding onto the altar to keep him on his feet.

Feeling his strength returning, Keith stands upright then looks back down at the key in his hand. Turning around, he heads back to the door he had entered only minutes earlier. Stepping out of the room, he is grabbed by his teammates as they all seem to talk at once.

"We thought you were dead!"

"What happened in there?"

"Did you get the key?"

"What was the trial?"

Holding up the hand that contains the key to show it, Keith calls out, "Stop! One at a time…" He hears a gasp from behind him and turns around to find Princess Allura staring at him in shock. She steps forward and grabs the hand containing the key. She does not take the key from him however. Instead, she turns his hand over to look at the back of it. Keith looks down in surprise at the mark on it that wasn't there before. A lightning bolt streaks across the skin, starting near his pinky finger and ending near his wrist, toward his thumb.

Allura runs her fingers across the mark then looks back up into his eyes, "The last time I saw this mark was before my father died…it was on his hand as well."

"It is the mark of an Arusian King."

Coran's voice can be heard as he steps forward to examine the mark as well. He looks up at the commander in surprise, "I am not entirely sure what this means, but each king had the emblem of his kingdom on his right hand."

His voice failing him, Keith looks back down at the mark again. Silence fills the cavern for several long minutes until he hears Pidge's tentative voice behind him a moment later changing the subject, "Can I see the key, Cap?"

Fighting against the hysterical laughter he feels bubbling up inside him, Keith turns to look at the youngest member of the group. Wordlessly, he holds out the key so the others can look at it. However, when Pidge makes to take it, Keith's fingers close around it once more. Not understanding why he does not want anyone else to touch the key but needing to justify his action, he finally says, "I would like to try it first if you don't mind…"

He pulls away from the group and walks over to the lion. Gazing up at the robotic beast, Keith mumbles to himself, "How do you get in?"

"Over there Cap…" Hunk appears by his side, gesturing up near the head. "Pidge and I discovered the hatch just as you walked into the key room." Nodding his thanks, Keith moves over to the lion and starts climbing up.

From behind the group of men, Allura watches as the commander climbs up the side of the lion then presses the button near the head to open the hatch. He disappears inside a moment later. She finally looks away, finding Coran studying her closely. His voice is steady as he quietly tells her, "Your father's prophesy is coming true, they are the ones." Nodding silently in reply, the princess turns her attention back to the lion.

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Inside the lion, Keith looks about the cockpit in wonder as he moves to sit in the command chair. His eyes move about the various controls until he spots it, "The key goes there…" Leaning forward, he sets the key into the lock then watches as it slides into place and the controls all light up. Reaching forward, he touches the control handle then gasps as the mark on his hand lights up as well.

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From the ground, Sven takes a step back as he watches the lion suddenly stand up, a roar escaping it as its eyes flash then the crest on its chest ignites, the emblems from each kingdom briefly flashing in unison.

"Wow…" Hunk and Pidge speak together as they stare up in awe at the mechanical beast.

"Unbelievable…"

Allura turns to find Lance staring up in wonder as the Black lion steps forward and Keith's voice echoes down to them, "It feels like I'm in one of the Garrison ships…only better." The feet of the lion lift up off the ground and hover as the head of the lion nears the ceiling. It sets back down a moment later, and goes back to its resting state. She watches as the hatch door opens and the commander jumps back down to the ground. As he moves toward them with a smile on his face, Pidge exclaims, "You aren't taking it out to see what it can do?"

Shaking his head, Keith replies, "We only have the one lion Pidge. If the Drules see it and attack, I would be grossly outnumbered." Caving into the wisdom of the commander's words, Pidge nods, but the look on his face is one of vast disappointment.

"So what would you like to do next, Commander?" Coran steps forward, his eyes shining with an excitement he has not felt in years. "Do you still want to do an assessment first or do you wish to go after the remaining keys?"

Keith does not get to answer as his men all speak at once, "Keys!"

Giving into the wishes of his men, the commander looks back at Coran, "The masses have spoken. We go for the keys and see what we can find out about the remaining kingdoms as we go."

The advisor smiles, "I recommend we start with Fire Kingdom. It is the closest one and we have better contact with the princess of that kingdom."

"There are more princesses?"

Keith rolls his eyes as the advisor turns to answer the lieutenant's question, "Yes, Lieutenant McClain, Princess Maia survived the invasion much the same way Princess Allura did. After her father was killed in the lion, her advisor led her into their underground base as her brother raced out with their fighters to try to stop the invading forces. Prince Malik did not survive however."

"She was betrothed to my brother," Allura speaks quietly, interrupting the conversation as she looks at the men.

They do not say anything in reply for a moment until Keith clears his throat, "How do we get there?"

"Through the tunnels," Coran answers simply. "When do you wish to leave?"

Keith looks at the other men, who nod at him. Turning back to the advisor, he replies, "Now."


	5. Chapter 5

Sorry for being a little late this week, my editor had a tough week. Many thanks Wade Wells!

I make no claims to Voltron or any WEP characters.

Origins: A Legend Unfolds: Chapter 5

Returning to the entrance of Black lion's cavern, the commander asks, "How will we get to the Fire Kingdom? I'm guessing it's a bit too far to walk?" Directing the men toward a strange looking vehicle sitting off to one side, Coran replies, "Between the lion caverns are tunnels. We can take this service vehicle to reach the cavern for Red lion."

Keith looks over at the vehicle and grimaces. Small in nature with short wings on each side indicating that it is more of a glider than a ship, the service vehicle reminds him of the four-seat taxi ships used on Earth. He had always hated getting into those vehicles; his large frame making the seats uncomfortable and this one did not look any better.

Looking back at the others, he says, "There isn't enough room for all of us." He glances back at Coran and the princess then back at his men then adds, "And we probably shouldn't leave this place undefended either." He meets Hunk's gaze, "I need you and Pidge to stay here with the princess…"

"I will not be staying here," Allura interjects, crossing her arms while glaring at him.

Narrowing his eyes at her, the commander replies, "I don't know what situation we'll be walking into, therefore cannot guarantee your safety." His tone becomes unyielding as he orders, "You will remain here with Hunk and Pidge."

"I can take care of myself and do not need your protection," snarls the princess as she fists her hands near her hips. "Need I remind you, Commander Kogane, I have been without your…_protection_…for ten years and have no need for it now?"

Coran looks back and forth between the young people, noting the fury in both of their eyes. _'This may prove interesting…the unstoppable force meets the immovable object.'_ He moves his gaze back to his charge as she adds, "I have had training and can handle myself in any situation that may occur."

Trying hard not to snort in derision, Keith challenges her, "Really, you can handle any situation?" He steps away from the other men, "Very well, come at me and see if you can take me down. If you knock me off my feet, then you may come with. If not, you will remain here as I've ordered."

"Oh shit…" Lance murmurs as he takes a step closer to Sven. "I can't believe he is going to do this." Sven gives him a warning look to be quiet then watches as the princess steps in front of the commander.

Allura glares at him, "I do not have to prove myself to you or anyone else. I told you, I can take care of myself."

"Then you should have no problem taking me down, Princess," Keith taunts as he crosses his arms in front of his chest.

Screaming in frustration, Allura throws out a punch, which Keith easily blocks. The commander makes no other movements however and only instructs, "Never attack in anger, you make stupid mistakes doing that."

Growling as her irritation rises; the princess tries a swing kick at him, only to have Keith grab her leg then swipe the other one out from under her. As she lands hard on her back, her breath expels out of her body. The sudden action leaves her stunned as she struggles to regain her breath. Moments later, she feels him pinning her to the ground. The commander stares down at her, his eyebrow quirked in question. Snarling, "GET OFF ME!" Allura tries to swing a fist up at the arrogant man above her.

Keith grabs her hand to stop her as he sarcastically states, "Yes, ordering someone to get off you will really help you in this kind of situation." He glances up when he feels a hand on his shoulder to find Coran staring down at him, "I think she has gotten your point, Commander."

Releasing the princess, Keith rises then jumps back as she quickly gets to her feet. Her face is red with her anger and her eyes flash sapphire sparks at him as she snarls, "You bastard!"

Arching an eyebrow at her, the commander sarcastically replies, "Such language from a princess?"

Refusing to answer him, Allura turns around and stomps away. Keith watches her go then looks over at Pidge and Hunk, "Make sure she reaches the compound safely then check in with the guards in the control room. Explain the situation to them and make sure you know what is going on in regards to patrols going out. We will radio you when we reach Fire Kingdom."

As they nod and turn around to follow the agitated princess, Sven steps forward to quietly ask, "How do you know that we won't need Pidge or Hunk at Fire Kingdom? What if one of them is supposed to pilot the Red lion?"

Keith glances down at the new mark on his hand and feels a slight tingling sensation from it before looking back at his second-in-command to answer, "A feeling…"

Eyebrows go up in surprise, but before Sven can say anything else, Keith turns around, "Let's get going." He walks passed the advisor and heads for the vehicle. Lance and Sven share a look then follow him. Coran sighs as he looks down the tunnel where the princess went then turns around to follow the men into the vehicle. Getting into the driver's seat, he looks over at the suddenly silent commander then engages the controls.

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Storming through the hallways of the compound in her fury, Allura can hear the booted footfalls of the two men behind her. Wishing they would leave her alone, she changes her direction at the last moment and quickens her pace, only to hear the pace behind her quicken as well. Reaching her bedroom, she glares at the two men behind her as she slams her hand on the button to open the door then steps inside.

As the door shuts, Pidge sighs then looks over at Hunk, "Cap didn't handle that very well. How long do you think she will be angry with all of us?"

Hunk shrugs in answer then starts back down the hall, "Let's get to the control room. Hopefully no one there will give us any grief."

A bright smile crosses Pidge's face as he retorts, "All you will have to do is frown at them, Hunk and they'll scream in fright and run away."

Snorting at the image, Hunk continues his walk down the hallway, with his friend at his side.

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Inside her room, Allura takes the pillows off the bed and throws them at the wall then screams her fury over the commander's treatment of her. _'That bastard, how dare he treat me that way? Why did he have to embarrass me in front of Coran and the other men? They will think I am nothing but a worthless female now too.' _Soon, frustrated tears replace her anger and the princess lies down on her bed, wiping at her cheeks as she thinks, _'I will show them, I do not need a man to take care of me,'_ and begins to plan her next move.

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As the Arusian glider moves through the caverns at a speed that would put many Garrison transport ships to shame, Keith closes his eyes against the onslaught of dizziness and nausea he feels once more. He opens his eyes when he hears Coran say, "Are you all right Commander? You look a bit peaky." The older man glances over at him then looks back out the windshield to pay attention to his flying.

"I'm fine…" Keith replies then closes his eyes once more, unable to watch as the craft moves through the narrow tunnels at the speed they are going. He hears Lance speak next, his tone concerned versus the normal sarcasm he is used to hearing from the lieutenant, "Maybe you should have stayed behind, Keith and rested…with that injury…"

"I said I'm fine," interrupts Keith irritably as he turns around to look at the two men riding in behind him. Sven arches an eyebrow at him that clearly says he is not buying it while Lance simply glares at him for being rude. Snorting in disgust at his friends, he turns back around in his seat. Staring back out the window, he tries to force himself to ignore the dizziness. Failing, Keith shuts his eyes once more while asking, "How long until we reach Fire Kingdom?"

"At this velocity, another twenty minutes or so," the advisor replies then glances over at him again. He struggles not to smile as he asks, "Need me to stop so you can be sick?"

Swallowing hard against the nausea, the commander retorts, "NO," but does not re-open his eyes. He hears Coran chuckle softly but ignores him, not trusting himself to open his mouth again out of fear of proving the older man right and throwing up.

Lance glances over at Sven and smiles at him, both of them enjoying their commander's discomfort. Thinking about their destination, he finally says, "Not to be a party crasher here, but Keith, it might be helpful for Sven and me if we knew how you managed to get that key to Black lion…"

A groan escapes the commander at the request. Knowing Lance is right, Keith keeps his eyes closed, but manages to start speaking.

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Twenty-five minutes later, Coran stops the glider near two closed metal doors blocking the path. Smiling over at the commander, he states, "We are here." He receives a glare for his humorous tone then watches the younger man quickly getting out of the vehicle. Opening his own door, Coran steps out then moves the seat forward so that Lance can climb out as well. Walking around the front of the vehicle, he finds the commander bent over, his hands on his knees as he takes several deep breaths.

When he finally stands back up, Keith's color has returned to a small degree. Resolve shines on his face as he asks, "What next?"

"What else do you do when you visit a neighbor?" the advisor replies as he moves toward the huge doors. Reaching them, he finishes, "You knock," then proceeds to use his fist on the huge steel door.

Sven steps up beside the commander to whisper, "Is it me or are these people a bit off?"

Resisting the urge to laugh, Keith simply nods then meets Lance's gaze as he steps near them as well. They watch the advisor knock again then all three take a step back as the giant doors suddenly slide open with a groan. Coran glances back at them and smiles broadly at the expressions on their faces. "If you would please, gentlemen," he gestures to the doors then walks through them.

Following him, Keith whispers, "Stay alert." His eyes move all around the seemingly empty cavern they enter. Dim light shines from widely spaced fixtures going down the tunnel. They walk along slowly as they follow the advisor, their hands on their blasters, ready for attack.

Coming upon a turn along the path, Keith calls out, "Coran, if someone heard you enough to open the doors, surely they would be here to greet us?"

Coran looks back at them, a curious expression on his face as he replies, "I agree, though it has been a while since my last visit, there is normally someone stationed near the door."

Feeling every nerve in his body tensing, Keith pulls his blaster out as they round the corner. Lance and Sven copy the movement then all of them pause when they hear a female voice call out, "You are strangers to Fire Kingdom, are you friend or foe?"

"Certainly not foes!" Lance retorts, earning a glare from Keith. The commander looks back down the tunnel when he hears, "Then why do you carry weapons?"

Stepping forward, Coran calls out, "Princess Maia, it is I, Coran Montrane of Storm Kingdom. We come in peace, as always."

Lance gasps as a beautiful red head suddenly appears in front of them. Her emerald eyes glare at them as she says, "Drop your weapons." When they fail to do as commanded, she holds up her hand, a ball of fire appearing. The color of the flames makes her hair shine red-gold as she slowly repeats her order, "Drop…your…weapons."

Shocked, Keith hears a gasp escape Coran. Looking over at him, he finds an expression of astonishment on his face. Turning to look back at his men, he finds equally incredulous looks on their faces. Quickly recovering, he nods at them then lowers his blaster to the ground slowly as he says, "Coran has told you Highness, we come in peace."

"Peace…you are not of Arus," she derides them, her tone unbelieving. "How do I know you do not hold Coran captive and are using him to gain access to Fire Kingdom? It is a trick that has been tried before," Maia replies as the ball of fire in her hand dissipates and several soldiers suddenly move out of the darkness to surround them as well, weapons trained on them.

Coran steps forward about to speak, but Keith grabs him by the arm and shakes his head at him. Stepping up to the princess, he holds up the hand with the mark, the key to Black lion clearly visible. He watches a look of shock appear on Maia's face before she steps forward to grab his hand, closely examining the mark. Her incredulous green eyes quickly look back up at him as she demands, "How did you get this key?"

"I earned it," Keith stiffly replies then pulls his hand and the key away from her.

Moving around him, Coran states, "Princess Maia, these men have come from Galaxy Garrison upon Storm Kingdom's request and have accomplished what has not been possible in ten years. Black lion lives again. We are hoping the others soon will."

Recovering from her shock, Maia studies the foreign men closely, her eyes lingering on Lance a moment longer than the rest. She finally looks back at Coran to ask, "Where is Princess Allura? She has always accompanied you on your visits before this."

"I requested she remain behind, Princess," Keith interjects, his own eyes calculating as he adds, "I did not know how much danger to expect, so left her with my remaining men back in Storm Kingdom."

She looks back at him closely as she retorts, "Is that so?" then looks over at the others once more before ordering, "Follow me."

As they walk down the tunnel, Lance studies the princess in front of him. Tall and slim, her long red-gold hair flows in waves down to the middle of her back. His eyes move down to the curve of her hips and buttocks, enjoying the way they move as she walks. As if feeling his gaze on her, Maia looks back, her emerald eyes glaring at him. Lance manages a wolfish smile as he nods at her. Her eyes flash with anger then she turns back to continue leading the way down the tunnel.

Walking in silence, they take another turn at a crossroads then continue a few minutes more before reaching the cavern holding Red lion. Lance steps forward away from the rest of the men as it becomes visible, his eyes moving over it then turning to look back at Keith, his gaze intense. The commander nods to him then looks over to find the princess watching them closely.

Her tone is snide as she states, "So you think just because you were able to retrieve the key for Black lion, you will be able to retrieve the one for Red?"

Keith smiles softly as he replies, "No, I won't…but Lieutenant McClain will."

As if knowing who the commander is speaking of, Maia looks over at Lance. Her gaze shines with disbelief as she says, "You?" He performs a mocking little bow toward her then stands upright.

She turns quickly when she feels a hand on her arm, Coran smiles softly at her, "Give him a chance, Princess."

Breathing in deeply and releasing it audibly from her mouth, Maia looks back at Lance again. She finally nods then states in a careless voice, "If he wants to die trying…who am I to stop him?"

Sarcasm edges his words as Lance replies, "Why thank you for your graciousness, _your Highness_."

Narrowing her eyes with anger visible in her expression, Maia raises her hand only to have Coran grab it once more, "The key room Highness? Please?"

She nods then turns to walk across the cavern. As they start to follow, Coran stops Lance as he whispers to him, "It is not wise to tweak the nose of an angry lioness."

Lance snorts in reply as he pulls away to follow the others to the door across the room. Dancing flames with a lion standing upright in the middle of them are carved intricately into the door. His eyes lock onto it and he feels something inside of him pulling him toward it. Nearing it, Lance barely hears Maia state, "Through that door lies your death, you oaf."

A smile forms on his lips as he walks up to the door to open it, but he pauses before walking in to retort, "Now sweetheart, are you sure you don't want to give me a kiss for luck?" A delighted laugh escapes him at the scandalized look on the princess' face and he quickly disappears through the door when he notices the ball of fire reappearing in her hand once more.

Keith rolls his eyes as he listens to Sven chuckle quietly behind him then looks over at the insulted royal, "I'm sorry, Princess Maia, there are times even I wish I could permanently shut Lance's mouth."

The ball of fire extinguishes in her hand as Maia takes a deep breath and calms herself. She nods to the commander in acceptance of the apology then walks over to the closed door. Placing her hand on it, she concentrates on the energy coming from inside.

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Rising from her bed feeling much calmer, Allura walks over to her closet to pull out a clean outfit of black military fatigues. She changes quickly then steps over to her mirror to find her hair half out of her braid. Taking it down, she runs a brush through it then simply re-braids it and wraps it up in a bun, securing it. Walking over to the chest in front of her bed, Allura opens it and digs through it until she finds a small box. Opening it, she smiles at the simple locket that had been her mother's favorite piece of jewelry. Running her finger over the crest on the front, Allura sighs then puts the necklace back in its box. Placing it back in the chest, she picks up the item she was originally searching for, closes the lid then rises and leaves her room.

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"So men, please understand that while we aren't here to take over your positions, we request that you mind our requests," Pidge finishes as he stops in front of the line of men standing before him and Hunk. He manages a smile then says, "Our commander will be back with Coran in a few hours. For now, carry on, just keep us informed."

Hunk watches the faces of the men, noting interest on some faces, irritation on others. As Pidge dismisses them with a wave of his hand, the men nod to them then return to their posts, some leaving the room entirely. Hunk sighs as he steps closer to the younger man, "That went over better than I thought."

"Yeah," Pidge replies, "I just hope things are going all right over in Fire Kingdom."

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Walking into the room, Lance's earlier bravado leaves him. Looking around, his military instincts kick in as he makes observations of the room. _'Small room, no other exits, no visible weapons…' _ His eyes continue moving over the area, finding no obvious threats he steps forward into the room.

"What do you seek Earth Dweller?"

Lance turns about at the sound of the deep, regal voice. Unable to discern the location of the speaker, he replies, "The key to Red lion…"

The voice laughs at him in derision, "You?"

Snorting, Lance retorts, "You wouldn't happen to be related to Princess Maia, would you?"

The laughter changes, becoming more humorous then the voice states, "Very well Earth Dweller, but be warned, it takes more than glib wit to gain the key to Red lion."

"Yeah, yeah…" Lance replies, "I know, it takes determination, strength…"

"And more…" the voice echoes before it fades away entirely. Suddenly, light shines down from the ceiling, illuminating something floating in the air on the far side of the room, the key to Red lion. Recognizing it, Lance takes a step forward then quickly backs up with a yell of surprise when a wall of fire appears in front of him.


	6. Chapter 6

Many thanks to those that reviewed…the thoughts and opinions are fun to read. Enjoy the next chapter.

I make no claims to Voltron or any WEP characters.

Origins: A Legend Unfolds: Chapter 6

Outside of the key room for Red lion, Keith paces back and forth then looks at the others to demand, "What's taking so long?" Sven sighs as he leans against a wall, replying, "The wait while you were going after the key to Black lion was just as long."

Maia takes her hand away from the door as she states, "It has begun." She moves away from them to put some distance between her and the men from Garrison.

Moving closer to her and away from the other men, Coran quietly inquires, "When did you learn how to use your powers?"

"Are you going to lecture me, Coran Montrane?" she replies, lifting an eyebrow at him in question.

"No, merely curious how you learned how to control them," he responds with a soft smile on his face.

"My father actually trained me, alongside my brother," the princess informs him. At the incredulous look she receives, Maia smiles, "He felt I should be able to take care of myself, not fully trusting my fiancé to do it for me." The smile leaves her face, "I know not if he knew of the future."

Nodding, Coran gestures toward the commander and Sven, "Now, they are our future."

She glances over at them, her face showing her disbelief as she snorts in reply, "These men…"

"Have already done more than any other," he interjects. Taking a step closer to her, Coran whispers for her alone to hear, "King Alfor made a prophesy just before his death. Five men from a distant planet would be our saviors."

Emerald eyes flash with curiosity as the princess asks, "And you think these men…"

"They already have one key."

Maia looks back to the door to the key room for Red lion. She glances back at Coran for a moment then disappears. Keith looks over from his place near the door, his eyes disbelieving, "She just disappeared…"

Smiling, Coran replies, "That she did."

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Standing in the weapons room, Allura checks the settings on her blaster then sets it down next to the sword on the table in front of her. Picking up a knife, she slides her finger along the edge to check the sharpness of the blade then places it beside the blaster. Picking up a black stocking cap, she puts it on her head, tucking in the stray blonde strands then picks up a black vest. She puts it on then picks the knife back up. The door to the room opens and she glances over at the entrance.

As a troop of five men approach her, Allura finishes putting a knife in her boot then reaches for the blaster. She looks at Derek, the lieutenant of the group and one of the few men that does not fight against her rule. Glancing away, she picks up the short sword and places it in her belt as she states, "I have decided to join you for patrol tonight. Get ready, I want to leave in five minutes."

Derek sighs as he looks over the young woman. When he speaks a moment later, his tone is conciliatory, "Highness, we received orders that all patrols are to report to the Garrison soldiers before leaving the compound."

Anger rushes through the princess as she stands upright and coldly states, "The Garrison soldiers do not rule here, I do. Now, get ready, we leave in five minutes."

Performing a slight bow, Derek replies, "Very well."

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Staring up at the wall of flames in front of him, Lance swears loudly, "How the fuck am I supposed to get around this?" He turns around to look at the door behind him, only to have a wall of flames appear there as well, trapping him in between. Looking forward once more, Lance remembers what Keith had said he had done to retrieve the key and copies him. Kneeling, he says, "Your Majesty, I humbly ask for the key to Red lion."

Derisive laughter erupts around him once more as the voice retorts, "This is not a case of 'ask and ye shall receive' Earth Dweller."

"Then what the fuck is it?" Lance stands up, anger pouring out of him as he snarls, "I'm not some fucking god that can walk through fire!"

"Ye of little faith…" sarcasm pours out of the voice around him.

Staring at the wall of fire in front of him, Lance sarcastically repeats, "Ye of little faith…" Taking a deep breath, he steps closer to the flames and holds out his hand to them. When he feels no heat, Lance walks forward. He cries out as the flames engulf his body. However, his eyes fall on the dangling key, just steps away.

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Reappearing in the key room with a wall of flames behind her, Maia watches as Lance steps into the flames in front of him. Forcing herself not to cry out for in fear, she continues to watch as the flames engulf his body then he starts to walk forward. Step by slow, agonizing step, Lance moves toward the key. She gasps when he falls to his knees just before it, a cry of pain escaping him.

The voice laughs derisively at him once more, "Is that all you have Earth Dweller?"

Unable to help herself, Maia rushes forward, "No Father…do not!" Reaching Lance, she wraps her arm around him back, helping him to rise and joining him in the flames. Together, they walk forward until Lance reaches out and takes the key within his hand.

The flames die away and Lance falls forward against Maia. Light engulfs them next, shining bright in the room. When it fades, he opens his eyes to find himself kissing the princess tenderly. He feels her fingers digging into the muscles of his back as she returns the kiss. Her eyes slowly flutter open as Lance breaks the kiss, still holding her close to him.

He smiles softly at her as he whispers, "I was only joking about the good luck kiss…"

Eyes going wide, Maia forcefully pushes him away from her, "How dare you…"

"Earth Dweller…"

The sound of the late king's voice echoes around them, "You have won the key to Red lion…protect Arus."

Lance looks down at the key in his hand then turns it over to find the mark of Fire Kingdom. Flames wrap around a miniature lion on the back of his hand, from his pinky finger down to his wrist. He looks up to find the princess staring down at the back of his hand as well, disbelief in her eyes.

Clearing his throat, he states, "We better join the others."

Maia looks back up at him, her face now inscrutable as she nods toward him then walks away, leaving him behind. Lance arches an eyebrow at her departing back then follows her out the door.

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Two miles away from the Storm Kingdom compound, Allura moves quietly through the forest with her men. She signals them to remain silent then points ahead to Derek. He nods in understanding, his eyes moving over the three Drule robot guards going through the wreckage of the Garrison soldiers' ship.

As one soldier disappears into the remains of the ship, Allura makes a hand signal to Derek. He nods then turns to his men, gesturing them to go in different directions. They nod in response then start moving quietly in the woods. Silently pulling her sword out of her belt, Allura moves forward slowly. She watches as two men take down the robot soldier on the far side of the field then shifts her gaze to find Derek and another man taking out the other.

From the ship, she hears a robot voice call out, "Status?" The princess moves quickly over to the side of the entrance then waits. When the other robots fail to respond, the remaining one starts walking back out of the ship, his gun raised as he demands, "Status!" Thrusting her sword forward, Allura shoves the blade into the robot's throat, silencing it immediately. The severed head falls back off the robot then the body falls to the ground.

Pulling the sword away, she puts it back into her belt then smiles over at Derek as he approaches her to whisper, "There must be more. Doom squadrons always contain at least eight soldiers." She nods in understanding then replies, "Let us find them."

Nodding, Derek signals his soldiers to gather near him then leads them back into the woods once more.

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Walking out of the key room behind Maia, Lance stops then holds his hand up to show both the key and the mark. He smiles at Keith and Sven as they quickly surround him, patting him on the back as they congratulate him. His eyes continue to follow the princess however, as she stops next to the advisor then turns to look back at him. Lance holds her gaze for a long moment, remembering the softness of her lips while they kissed until she abruptly turns away from him, giving him her back.

Shaking his head, he finally looks over at the mechanical lion. His eyes light up with excitement as he whispers, "Mine!" then rushes forward. Lance quickly climbs up to the side hatch, barely hearing Keith as he orders, "Do not take the lion out of the hanger!"

Stepping into the lion, Lance sits down in the command chair and whispers, "Kill joy," as he leans forward to place the key in the slot. He smiles broadly as the controls all light up and the lion roars. Leaning forward, he places his hand on the guidance control, looking at his right hand in wonder as the mark lights up. "Keith didn't mention that…"

"Didn't mention what?"

Turning his head, Lance glares at his commanding officer, "Don't you know it's not polite to sneak into another man's lion?"

Keith snorts in derision as he steps into the lion, Sven following him. As the Norwegian looks about in wonder, the commander repeats his previous order, "Do not take the lion out of the hanger."

"I know, I heard you the first time," Lance responds as he takes his hand off the controls then pulls the key out of the ignition. Standing up, he faces his friends, "Now what?"

Glancing over at Sven, Keith states, "It's too late in the day to head for another kingdom. We return to Storm Kingdom for the night and figure out our next move in the morning."

"That head injury is bothering you more than you want to admit, isn't it?"

Keith turns to glare at Sven but does not respond to his question as he instead orders, "Let's get back to the ground, we need to make arrangements with Princess Maia. Either we need to set up some kind of launch system to quickly get Lance here in case of emergencies, or we need to move the lion closer to Storm Kingdom."

"I'm guessing she isn't going to want to give up the lion," Sven sighs out. He looks over at Lance, "I seriously doubt she will grant us much of anything given her current mood."

"What the hell's wrong with her?" demands Lance.

Rolling his eyes, Keith replies, "How many times have you offended her since we got here McClain?"

Lance scornfully snorts, "You want me to apologize when she insulted me first?"

"No more than you were insulting her. I thought you were supposed to learn some restraint when you were promoted, _Lieutenant_," retorts the commander as he moves to the open hatch.

Sarcastic laughter erupts out of Lance before he snaps, "Oh, like the restraint you've shown around Princess Allura? I'm not the one that puked on her then body slammed her to the ground just to prove my point."

Keith glares back at him then notices Sven trying to hide a smile. Ignoring them both, he turns back to the hatch and leaves the lion. Sven walks up to Lance and pats him on the shoulder then follows him. Resisting the urge to hit the wall of the lion in his anger, Lance takes a deep breath to calm down then steps out of the hatch and jumps to the ground.

His eyes meet Maia's immediately then she looks away from him to the commander as he says, "We need to figure out a way to get Lance to Red lion in the event of attack. Either we move the lion closer to Storm Kingdom…"

"NO!" snarls Maia, "You will not take Red lion away from us, he belongs to this kingdom!"

"Or we need to build some kind of launch system from Storm Kingdom here," Keith finishes, overriding the princess.

Her eyes narrow on him then her gaze shifts to Lance. He manages a soft smile as he steps forward, "Princess, we have no intention of taking Red lion away from you, but we do need to find a way for me to reach the lion quickly when needed."

Impressed that Lance managed to sound diplomatic, Keith shares a surprised look with Sven, which both men quickly cover as they look forward again. Coran manages to keep an amused smile off his face as he looks away from the men then back to the princess. She looks equally surprised at the lieutenant then turns away from them.

Walking over to her men, she confers with one of them briefly then turns back to face the others. Maia looks calmly from one man to the other until her gaze lands on Lance and stays there. When she speaks, her tone is equally neutral, "I'm assuming you are speaking of a launch system similar to the one Storm Kingdom built for Black lion?"

Having not seen it yet, Lance glances back at Coran in askance. The advisor smiles at him then steps forward, "Yes Princess. However, it may be wise to move Red lion closer to Storm Kingdom until it is built…"

"No," she interjects calmly, "The lion stays here."

"May I ask how I will reach it when needed then, Princess?" Lance asks, keeping his tone as neutral as the princess' had been. He cannot help the smile that slips across his face, as he adds, "Unless you intend for me to stay here as well?"

An unladylike snort escapes Maia as she glares at him for his imprudence. Finally, she states, "When needed, I can get you to the lion."

Lance looks at her confused as he replies, "How?"

Stepping up to him, Maia grabs both of his upper arms and says, "Like this," then they both disappear with a flash of light. They reappear inside the lion and she immediately releases him. Lance steps back from her feeling a little disoriented then looks in amazement around the interior of the lion as he utters, "Whoa…"

She smiles wickedly at him then disappears again. Lance moves to the still open hatch and looks down to find Maia on the ground beside Keith and the others once more. Forcing a look of boredom, he jumps down and walks back over to them. He looks from Maia to Keith as he says, "That will work."

Shaking his head at the pair of them, Keith turns back to Maia, "Thank you Princess. We will contact you when Lance needs to get to the lion."

Nodding, Maia gestures over to her men, "They will guide you back to your ship. I have other more important things I need to attend to now," then disappears.

The sound of Coran chuckling has the men turning to him. He manages to stop then informs them, "You will have to excuse me. It has been years since I have been able to enjoy something like that."

Lance arches an eyebrow at him, "Enjoy?"

"Yes Lieutenant." He turns and starts walking toward the men of Fire Kingdom as he finishes, "The interaction of youth is always enjoyable, especially when they play the game of one-upmanship." He stops then looks Lance directly in the eyes, "In case you were wondering, you lost." Coran laughs again then gestures to the others, "If you would please…"

As the men start to walk back toward the tunnels, Lance looks over at Keith and Sven to say, "He's out of his freaking mind!"

"Perhaps," Sven replies, a smile on his face, "Unfortunately he is correct. Princess Maia showed you up this round." He laughs as well as he moves away to follow them. Keith simply smiles at Lance then clamps him on the shoulder, "Let's get out of here. I could do with some dinner and rest." Lance snorts in reply as he walks with him down the tunnel.

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Crouching beside Derek as he gestures to the fire lit meadow ahead, Allura nods to him in answer then looks out. Three more Doom guards stand near the fire, speaking to each other in Drulian language. Looking back at Derek, she gestures in hand signals to him. He nods in understanding then passes on the instructions to his men via the hand signals. They nod in turn then separate, two heading in one direction, two in the other, staying low to avoid detection. Allura silently pulls the sword from her belt once more then meets Derek's eyes and nods. He nods in response then slowly creeps forward through the bushes, blaster in hand.


	7. Chapter 7

I make no claims to Voltron or any WEP characters.

Origins: A Legend Unfolds: Chapter 7

A feeling of overwhelming exhaustion fills Keith on the ride back to Storm Kingdom. He closes his eyes, giving up his battle to stay awake. As his chin comes to a rest against his chest, Coran glances over at him then sighs. Keeping his voice low, he says, "He is more injured than he is willing to admit."

"Yes, we know," Sven whispers back from his place directly behind the advisor. His eyes move over the sleeping form of his friend then he looks over at Lance. "We need to find a way to keep him in Storm Kingdom tomorrow so he can rest."

Lance snorts in response then quietly retorts with a small smile, "Good luck with that one."

Rolling his eyes, Sven inquires, "How long until we reach Storm Kingdom?"

"Another ten minutes…"

Nodding, the Norwegian sighs, "Well, at least he can sleep until we arrive."

The beeping sound of a comm. unit interrupts that however, and Keith suddenly sits upright as he watches the advisor pull the unit off his belt, "Yes?"

Hunk's voice comes across as he states, "We have a possible problem. Is the commander available?"

Grabbing the unit from the advisor, Keith asks, "What's going on?"

"A group went out on patrol without approval."

Sven and Lance share an irritated glance as Keith replies, "So what's the problem?"

"Princess Allura led the group out."

"FUCK!" swears Keith as he looks over at the advisor. They share a worried look for a moment then the commander asks, "Does she do this often?"

"No, but she does on occasion go out with the men on patrol. I always try to dissuade her from it. However, when that girl gets an idea in her head..." He pauses for a moment then looks at the commander with worrisome eyes as he adds, "When she has been…pushed…made to think she cannot do something, that is when Allura will do something she should not."

Swearing under his breath, Keith pushes the button to talk, "Hunk, do you know where they are?"

"No, Commander. The trooper that informed us of the patrol didn't know where they were going."

Taking a deep breath, Keith looks over at Coran, "How do we find them?"

The advisor sighs then says, "There is a tracker on her, underneath her skin, on the back of her neck. I had it put on her when Arus fell."

Keith hands the comm. unit back to him, "Tell Hunk how to operate the tracker and get us back to the compound as fast as you can."

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Entering the meadow behind Derek, Allura listens to the men cry out as they rush at the Doom soldiers. The robot closest to the back of the flames goes down then suddenly they are surrounded by Drules. A cry of alarm escapes the princess as she turns about, her sword raised in the air. She brings it down hard against the Drule closest to her. He laughs as he parries the blow then swings down his own sword hard, making Allura's hand go numb, causing her to drop the sword.

Grabbing for the blaster at her belt, Allura hears the painful cries of her men and glances over at them. She watches Derek get shot in the side then tries to turn back. Her inattention costs her as the Drule slams the butt end of his sword against her forehead, knocking her out.

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Keith does not wait for the vehicle to come to a complete stop as he opens the door and jumps out. He runs for the steps leading up into the compound and hears the footfalls of his companions behind him. Reaching the top, he glances over at Sven, "Control room! Now!"

Nodding, Sven gestures for him to follow. He and Lance lead Keith down several hallways at a run. They quickly reach a pair of double doors that stand open. Rushing into the room, Keith yells, "Status!"

"Her tracker indicates they are about two miles away from here in a meadow. She hasn't moved in the last ten minutes," Pidge informs him, a worried look on his face.

"Any other signals?" the commander inquires as he moves forward to take weapons being held out to him by an Arusian soldier. He shoves the knife into his boot then takes the short sword from him as Pidge replies, "Yes, I picked up communications between some Drule ground troops in the same area."

Keith glances back as the sound of the out of breath advisor finally running into the room reaches his ears. Ignoring him, he looks at his men to find each of them now similarly armed. His gaze goes to Hunk as he asks, "How do we get to them fast and quiet?"

"Horse…back…"

He turns to find the advisor standing behind him, "It is the…only thing we have…to use…above ground."

Turning to the closest man in the room, Keith demands, "Get us to those horses…now!"

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Awakening to the sound of a foreign language being spoken around her, Allura opens her eyelids only a fraction of an inch. Unable to see much of anything, she closes them once more and simply listens. A dry male laugh echoes in her ears a moment later and a rough voice states, "I know you are awake…"

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Riding hard through the woods and praying not to be intercepted before they can reach their destination, Keith glances over at Pidge, who is riding beside him. His eyes move to the device in the private's hand, indicating how close they are to their target. As they near the red dot, Pidge pulls back on his reins and Keith copies him. As their horses paw at the ground, the youngest member of the crew states, "They should be a quarter of a mile ahead..."

"We need to finish going in on foot." finishes Keith for him. He signals the rest of the men to get off their horses. Tying the reins to a low-hanging tree branch, he says, "Ahead quickly and quietly, flank two by two, I've got the lead." At his men's nod in affirmation, Keith takes off into the brush.

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Running her hand slowly down along her leg, Allura reaches for the knife in her boot. She feels a hand on her shoulder, turning her over, and tries to stab out with it. She cries out in pain as it is kicked from her hand, followed by male laughter from several directions. She hears the Drules converse in their language then feels a knife near her neck. Opening her eyes again, she watches the soldier smile maliciously as he rips the cap from her head then reaches down to unzip her vest, "As I thought…a woman…"

The Drule cuts the material holding the vest to her away, his eyes moving over her form. He stands back up and gives a command that the princess does not understand. She withholds a scream as two robot soldiers move toward her. Yanked upright with her arms being held on both sides, Allura looks up to find the Drule soldier in front of her again. He grins obscenely as he says, "Look what we have here…" Grabbing her chin, the soldier forces her chin up so he can look into her eyes, "A beautiful one for a change."

Allura rips her face away from him, "Get your hands off of me!"

"Oh, and she has a bit of fire." The smile grows on his face as the Drule takes a step back to look at her.

Taking a chance, Allura drops all her weight and kicks out at him as the other two have to yank her upright to keep her weight up. He laughs at her in response as he grabs the leg then twists it. A cry of agony escapes her as the princess feels something pop in her knee. She barely hears the next remark.

"I think we should keep this one for ourselves. The prince has enough beautiful women to keep him company."

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Moving quickly and silently through the woods toward the light visible ahead, Keith swears under his breath then glances to the sides to find his men alongside him. Reaching the edge of the campsite, he finds the Arusian soldiers on their knees off to one side, with robots soldiers watching over them and the princess being held up between two men near the fire. Using hand signals, he directs his men to the left and right and signals that he will go forward. They nod at him and quietly move around the woods in the dark.

Looking forward, he watches the Drule gesturing to the princess and making comments. Anger fills him as he listens to the princess' cry of pain when she tries to kick the man then watches as the soldier reaches forward and rips her shirt down the front.

As her breasts become visible, Allura screams and tries to twist away from the Drule. He continues to laugh at her as he steps forward to touch her. About to attack, Keith pauses when something amazing happens. A flash of light comes straight out of the princess and knocks the Drule backward away from her as well as the men that had been standing behind him.

In the confusion, Keith cries out to his men, "ATTACK!" and begins to swing his sword at the robot soldiers in front of him. He notes Sven and Lance fighting on the right side, Hunk and Pidge taking out the robots on the left and rushes forward toward the princess. The guards holding her release her and as she falls to the ground, Keith quickly slices through them.

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Lying on the ground, tears run down Allura's face as she curls into a ball, barely cognizant of the fighting going on around her. Sucking in a deep breath, she almost screams when she feels hands on her then stops when she hears the commander's voice, "I'm here Princess…you are safe." Allura feels something covering her then feels herself being lifted up off the ground. Wrapping her arms around him, she buries her face in his neck and releases a sob.

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The dark room inspires fear in those that enter it. Dark, blood red walls, whether from real blood or paint, which is unknown, shines around the room from the dreary light cast by torches. The old witch, Haggar, stands at an altar, staring down at the creature in her hand that is desperately trying to get away from her. Ignoring its scratching and biting, she raises a dagger high then drives it down into the animal as she continues her chant.

Turning away from the altar with her hands full of blood, she turns back to her crystal and runs her hands over it. As the blood covers the sphere, it glows brightly. The blood is gone a moment later as the globe slowly dims. Haggar finishes her chant then leans over the sphere.

Soon an evil cackle echoes around the old witch's laboratory as she stares into her crystal. Her eyes flash bright yellow as her blue cat, Coba, meows then hisses at her. Haggar chuckles to herself as she continues to stare into the swirling contents of the crystal ball, "Yes, soon my sweet pet. All of the pieces of my plan are coming together, soon all will be ready and I will have back what once was mine."

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Finishing cutting the ropes off the Arusian men, Sven looks over to see his commander wrapping his jacket around the princess then picking her up off the ground. Keith's face is stiff with rage as he looks back at him to order, "Let's get back to the compound."

Sven nods then looks down at Derek, the leader of the group of Arusian men. The man tries to rise then falls back to the ground, the wound in his side too grave. Shaking his head, Sven looks back at Keith, "They will never be able to walk it."

His eyes move over the wounded then back to Sven as he gives him an order, "Send Lance back to the compound on his horse and have them send out a shuttle. You, Hunk and Pidge stay with them in the meantime." His arms tighten around the woman in his arms, "I'm getting the princess back to Dr. Gorma." He does not wait to see if his commands are accepted and instead turns around and leaves the area.

Sven turns back to find that Lance had heard as he nods at him then runs out of the site. Bending back down to the man in front of him, he says, "Hold on tight, help will be here soon."

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Making his way through the wooded area, Keith feels Allura shaking in his arms. He soon arrives where they had left the horses earlier to find one gone. Lance had already left for the compound. He grimaces as he approaches his. He feels her dig her fingers more into his side and sighs as he whispers, "Princess, I'm going to put you up in the saddle then climb up behind you."

A soft sob escapes her as Keith lifts her up into the saddle. Her fingers shake as she grabs onto the pommel with one hand and the sides of the jacket around her with the other, her face turned away from him. Keith pulls himself up behind her then wraps his arms around her as he grabs onto the reins. He pauses when she leans back into him to hide her face against his chest with one arm around his waist.

Shifting the reins into one hand, the commander wraps the other one around Allura's back as he listens to her crying then snaps the reins. As the horse begins an easy canter, he whispers to her, "Everything is all right Princess. I'll have you home soon."


	8. Chapter 8

I make no claims to Voltron or any WEP characters.

Origins: A Legend Unfolds: Chapter 8

The advisor rushes to the medical center as he listens to his comm. unit continuing to go off. Slamming his hand on the button to open the door, he walks in to see the commander lowering the woman in his arms to a gurney then watches the gurney being rushed into the closest examination room.

His eyes fall on the commander as the man watches the doors to the exam room close before he turns to find Coran standing there. Moving toward him, Keith states, "I think she's fine outside of a twisted knee and a bump on her head. The doctor is going to check her over just to be certain, but I think she is mostly scared."

"Thank the Gods…" Coran replies as he moves over to the waiting area and sits down tiredly.

Keith follows him then says, "Coran, something did happen out there."

Fear lights the advisor's eyes as he looks back up at the commander only for Keith to shake his head, "No, they didn't rape her, but they intended to. The guard had ripped the front of her shirt off, but just as he was about to touch her, this light blasted out of her and hit the guard." He stops for a moment then sits down next to the advisor. Refusing to look at Coran, he finally finishes, "The guard had a hole the size of a baseball in his chest and it went straight through him."

"A baseball?"

Sighing, Keith shapes his hand into the approximate size of a baseball as he adds, "I've never seen anything like it."

"It just came out of her?" Coran questions as he turns to look the commander in the face. Silently, Keith nods then settles back against his chair. The advisor sighs as he sits back as well, "Magic has a habit of showing itself when someone is under extreme duress. Given the situation, I guess I cannot be shocked that it happened."

Keith cannot stop the snort that escapes him as he retorts, "But a hole like that…she did more damage than most weapons I can think of. She burned the heart out of his chest Coran."

"Yes, well, it did stop the attempted rape, did it not?" As the commander sits there shaking his head, Coran adds, "She cannot control it." A deep sigh escapes him, "I should probably talk to Princess Maia about training Princess Allura now that her magic is maturing."

Opening his mouth to remark, Keith stops when the doors to MedTech open once more and this time, Lance, Sven, Hunk and Pidge enter while helping the wounded from the attack in. As the medical staff take them off to the remaining exam rooms, Lance moves over to the two waiting men, "How's the princess?"

Neither man gets to answer as suddenly there is a flash of light and the princess appears before them dressed in a medical gown, a robe wrapped around her. She looks about confused then starts shaking with tears running down her face as she fearfully asks, "Coran, how did I get here?"

Looking at the shocked expressions on the men surrounding them, Coran rises to approach Allura only to have her wrap her arms around him as she buries her face in his coat. The doors to the exam rooms open and Dr. Gorma rushes out, "She's disappeared…" then stops when he finds the princess within the circle of men.

At Coran's nod, the doctor turns around, "I will see to the more critically injured."

Keith rises out of his seat as Lance remarks, "Maia does that…didn't know Princess knew how as well."

"She does not know how," grits out Coran as he looks at the surrounding men.

Ignoring the disagreement going on around him, Keith watches the princess closely while fighting against the sudden need he feels to take her away from the advisor and hold her in his arms to assure her that she is safe. Sucking in a deep breath and releasing it slowly, he watches as Allura turns her head, her eyes meeting his. He notes the fear in them before she turns back to the advisor to hide her face in his coat once more. The need to touch her explodes in him, but Keith does nothing. Instead, he says, "Coran, I think you should get her back to the exam room so the doctor can look at her knee."

The advisor turns his head and meets Keith's eyes for a moment then he nods, "Yes, I do believe that is a good idea." He turns the princess enough to lead her away, limping, even as she continues to hide her face, "Come Highness, you will be more comfortable lying back down."

Once they are out of the room, Keith turns to the remaining men, "Control room. I want a full run down of patrols and we are going to start running our own. I want one of us in that control room around the clock so we don't get any more of these surprises."

Hunk makes a noise in the back of his throat, "We had told them not to go out without alerting us…"

Holding up his hand to stop him, the commander replies, "I know Hunk…Princess Allura overruled you. I'll talk to her about it tomorrow when she's feeling better. Now, let's get to the control room."

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Twenty minutes later, Coran walks into the control room to find the commander directing the men within. His men stand behind him at attention, the Arusian men in front of him as he gives them orders. He manages to catch the commander's eye and receives a nod before Keith finishes, "To your posts!" As the men walk away, Coran nods to a few of them then watches the commander approach him to ask, "How's Princess Allura?"

"Resting…" the advisor replies then gestures to the Arusian men, "What's going on here?"

Clearing his throat, Keith answers, "We are setting up a rotation. One of us will be on duty and in charge of the control room at all times, unless we are under attack."

His eyebrow goes up as Coran asks, "And where is my position in that rotation?"

As Keith flushes, the advisor informs him, "I know you have good intentions Commander Kogane, but I have manned that station for the last twenty years and I will not be forced out of it now."

Nodding, the commander replies, "Very well, you can take second shift after Hunk if you wish." When Coran nods in reply, Keith turns to the other men, "Hunk, you've got control, everyone else, bed until your shift. Tomorrow, we will try to get to the other lions' keys."

As Hunk moves to sit in the command chair and the others slowly walk out of the room, Coran stops the commander, "I need to have a word with you."

Keith looks at him in askance, but nods in reply. He follows the older man out of the control room and down the hallway leading to the office he shares with Princess Allura. Entering it, Coran directs him to the chair while he moves to sit behind one of two desks in the room. Sitting down, Keith watches the older man as he settles into his chair before asking, "What's going on?"

"I think you need a little more background information on Arus and the situation around Storm Kingdom in general," Coran offhandedly states as he reaches down into a drawer. He pulls out a bottle and two glasses then looks across the desk once more, "May I offer you a drink?"

Shaking his head, Keith watches as Coran pours himself a drink and takes a sip before he asks, "So what do I need to understand?"

"Princess Allura," replies Coran as he sets the glass down. "You have to understand what she has been up against." He settles back in his chair as he continues, "Before Arus fell, it was a male dominated society. Women, particularly royal women, were not expected to help rule the kingdoms and had no say in anything. Their only expectation was to raise the next generation of royals. Daughters of the kings or on occasion, of lesser princes, were betrothed to a royal of another kingdom traditionally by the time they were four, married by sixteen, eighteen at the latest."

At the look of disgust on Keith's face, Coran arches an eyebrow at him, "You consider that concept archaic?"

"Repulsive is what I was thinking. They had no say even in who they would marry?"

Coran smiles at him as he shakes his head, "That is the way the royal kingdoms have been for ages. I told you earlier that the Royal Houses of Arus possessed magic and that included the women. However, they were never taught to use it, in fact, they were forbidden to do so."

"Why?" Keith questions, his disgust growing.

"Why indeed…" The advisor stares at the younger man before him for a moment in contemplation then replies, "I am sure Earth, at one time, considered women inferior…"

"Yeah, during medieval times!"

Tilting his head in acceptance, Coran finishes, "Women here were considered much the same. Royal women were the breeders of the next magical generation, but were considered unworthy of magic themselves. It is just the way things were. As you saw today, Princess Maia has learned how to control her magic and it escaped out of Allura when she least expected it to."

At Keith's nod, Coran informs him, "That attitude of inferiority is what those young women are battling against. The surviving men of the old ways still think the princesses should be kept somewhere safe…breeding the next generation of kings to take over once more."

"What bull!"

Coran smiles broadly at him, "Yes, I would agree with you. So would have King Alfor. He allowed his wife great independence, but knew that tradition would be almost impossible to break."

Keith shakes his head as he looks away. Coran's voice has him looking back up, "For these reasons, I am hoping you will be able to help Princess Allura."

"Help how?"

The old advisor sighs deeply as he contemplates the man before him, "I have done what I could to train her, to be a politician, to strategize. However, there are some skills I quite frankly lack…as she discovered to her determent today when you took her down."

Flushing red, Keith sputters, "I didn't mean to embarrass her, but couldn't find another way to make her see that her safety would be at risk."

"I know." Coran sits forward in his chair. "While I advised King Alfor on political and military strategy, I know that your knowledge of current military strategy far exceeds my own. I am hoping that is what you will be willing to help Allura learn more of."

Arching an eyebrow, Keith replies, "Do you think she will be willing to learn from me? She does not like me very much right now."

Coran laughs quietly, "Princess Allura has both the advantage and disadvantage of youth. She is young enough to still learn; yet stubborn enough to think she already knows everything she needs to know."

The lips of Keith's lips quirk with humor slightly before his face becomes carefully neutral once more. Finally, he replies, "I know a few people like that…"

Laughter erupts out of the old advisor as he slaps his hand on the desk merrily. He wipes at his eyes then asks, "So you are willing to teach her?"

"If she's willing to learn, yes." Keith stands up, "I should find my bed. My turn for guard duty is in a few hours and it has already been a long day."

"One moment, while I am happy you are willing to help her Highness, I must impress upon you the need for caution. The men cannot know you are helping…"

"I get it Coran," Keith interjects, "If they think all decisions are coming from me, not the princess, they won't obey her when she gives orders." At the relieved look on the advisor's face, he adds, "Good night." then turns around to walk out of the room.

"Commander, please wait…I know you wish to seek your bed after such a long day, but there is one more piece of information I wish to impart so that you know what you need to protect the princess," Coran pleads with the commander, standing as well.

Keith stops and turns back, his eyebrows up in question, "There's more?"

"Yes, you could say that. I have long held a suspicion and have prayed to be wrong, but especially after the attack on Princess Allura, feel I need to share it. When Arus fell to Doom, I always thought it strange that they have never tried to access the underground tunnels to get at the lions." Coran pauses as he sits back down in his chair.

As Keith slowly moves back to his seat, the advisor continues, "For the last ten years, outside of the occasional Drule ship looking for more slaves, Doom has mostly left us alone. However, in the last few months the number of soldiers has increased significantly. Which begs the question, what are they looking for?" He pauses a moment to let that sink in then says, "My theory is that Zarkon and Haggar did not intend to kill all of the members of the royal families in the original attack; they were waiting for the youngest members to mature."

"For what purpose Coran?" Keith questions as he sits forward, "Typically when a country or planet is taken over, the ruling class is slaughtered to prevent them from rising again later…"

"Yes, they are, but some of the children of the Arus' ruling class survived. Magical children, all daughters to my knowledge, that do not know how to use their powers, well except for Princess Maia," the advisor interjects.

Dread fills Keith as he quietly states, "They want to capture them."

Coran quietly nods in response then he finishes, "That is my theory, yes. What they wish to do with them, I do not know."

"Doesn't matter," Keith replies as he stands back up then faces the advisor once more, "We will do what is necessary to prevent that from happening."

Relief goes through the advisor as he says, "Thank you, this is something I have been dreading for some time now with no idea how to prevent it."

Keith grimaces, "Talk to Princess Maia and get her to train Allura on how to use her powers. I have a feeling she will need that knowledge." At Coran's nod, he turns around, "Good night." He stops when there is a flash of light and suddenly Princess Allura appears beside him. She looks about frightened and half-asleep then stumbles forward, her knee giving out as Coran calls out, "Princess!"

Swinging her up into his arms, Keith looks down at Allura to ask, "Princess? Are you all right?"

She grasps his shoulders and looks around confused as she instead inquires, "How did I get here? Coran?" Her tone is fearful as she adds, "I was sleeping in MedTech…dreaming…"

"Everything is all right Princess." Coran steps near and touches her cheek. "There is nothing to fear." He meets the younger man's eyes as he says, "Commander, will you take her Highness to her room for me? I am afraid my old back does not take kindly to carrying." Keith nods to him then follows him out of the room.

Allura pays little attention to the conversation going on around her. Her mind shifts back to the nightmare she was having before appearing before the commander and her advisor. She shivers slightly then tightens her grip on the commander's shirt as she pushes her face into his neck. His grip tightens around her and her fear eases as his soft musky smell fills her senses.

Reaching the princess' room, Keith looks at Coran to ask, "You aren't taking her back to MedTech?"

Shaking his head, the advisor opens the door as he replies, "She will sleep better in her own bed. I will alert Dr. Gorma to the change and he can check on her in the morning."

Keith nods then enters the room. He notes the sparse furniture then his eyes hit the virtual window. Pausing, he stares at it in wonder as it shows the Arusian night sky, complete with the light of the full moons. He hears Coran chuckle as he directs the commander to lay the princess down on her bed. "It was the one thing she could not live without, being able to see the sky. With that being impossible underground, this was the next best thing. In the daytime, it shows blue sky and clouds."

Shaking his head, the commander lays the princess down on her mattress then pulls her blankets around her. Their eyes meet for a moment then she closes her eyes and turns away from him. Keith sighs as he stands back up then says, "I really need to find my own bed. Radio me if something comes up."

The advisor nods then watches Keith leave the room. As the door closes behind him, he sits down on the bed beside the princess, "Allura, what happened when you disappeared?"

She opens her eyes to look at him, confusion in them, "I do not know…I was sleeping…dreaming…"

"A nightmare?"

Allura barely nods then looks away. Sighing, Coran rubs her arm slightly, "Very well, sleep Princess. I am going to approach Princess Maia tomorrow and see if she will be able to help you learn how to control your powers." When she looks back at him surprised, he smiles, "I would rather you have some control over them than have them burst out of you. Goodnight."

He rises, turns off the light and leaves the room. Turning back over in her bed, Allura stares at the virtual windows as she tries to fall asleep.


	9. Chapter 9

I make no claims to Voltron or any WEP characters.

Origins: A Legend Unfolds: Chapter 9

_A sigh escapes her as she feels his lips moving along the soft skin of her neck. Sitting in his lap with her legs wrapped around him, she grips onto his shoulders. His fingers move along her upper arms, teasing the soft skin as they move down. She feels her skin tingling with goose flesh and she whispers his name in his ear tenderly. His lips part and his tongue gently torments the skin under her ear as his hand shifts from her arm to caress her breast._

_She moans softly as his expert fingers tease her nipple, driving it to harden. Her grip on his shoulders tightens as she leans back away from him. He kisses his way down her chest, reaching her hard nipples. Pulling one into his mouth, his tongue teases the tip then he suckles hard on it. A deep moan escapes her as he shifts to pay the other breast equal homage. _

_Her fingers move up to his hair, tugging on it in demand. He lifts his head, as she leans forward and meets his lips. Pulling her bottom lip between his, he nibbles on it then releases it only to deepen the kiss. Their tongues duel gently as their hands move over each other. She uses her fingernails to tease his nipples. He slips a hand between her legs, finding the passion slick folds of her core._

_She gasps, her mouth open wide against his. Smiling against her lips, he kisses the corner of her mouth then slides a finger into her. His lips move back along her neck once more, as she moves her hips against his fingers. His other hand slides behind her, caressing her long hair then drifts down to cup her buttocks. Nearing the edge, she cries out, her head thrown back as she screams…_

"LANCE!"

Opening her eyes, Maia sits upright in her bed as she gasps for breath. Her body still aches from the vivid dream as her mind relives it. Shaking her head at the dream, she whimpers, "No…I will not."

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Lance sighs as his eyes open then groans as his morning arousal throbs with need once more. Unbidden, his mind immediately brings up the image of Princess Maia and he feels his arousal throb even harder. Groaning in irritation, he throws back the covers and slowly makes his way to the bathroom, "Time for a cold shower…"

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Leaving his bedroom, Keith makes his way down the compound hallways in an attempt to find his way to the dining room. Pausing when he becomes lost, he rubs at the bandage on his forehead then turns down another hallway. Finally spotting the double doors at the end along with the portraits that line the hallway leading to the dining room, a relieved sigh escapes him.

Walking into the room, he finds the others have already gathered. Keith nods to them as he finds his seat at the table. Sven smiles at him as he says, "Good morning. How's the head today?"

"Better than it was yesterday," he replies then looks over at Hunk and Pidge. "Did Lance fill you in on retrieving the key to Red lion?"

"Yes," Pidge replies, "He told us how you got your key as well. I think you got off easy," a smirk firmly planted on his face.

Keith snorts then states, "Be that as it may, you will need to be ready for anything when you go after your keys."

They stop talking when they hear footsteps nearing the door. The advisor walks in and greets the entire group, "Good morning men. Princess Allura is to spend the day resting, so will not be joining us. After breakfast, we can meet to discuss our day's activities."

Nodding, Keith looks at the others, "Very well."

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Finishing his breakfast before everyone else, Keith rises while saying, "I'm going to check on Princess Allura before the meeting." Coran looks up curiously then nods to him in response before returning to his meal. Leaving the dining room, he makes his way down the hallways of the compound. Reaching his destination, he knocks softly on the door. He waits until he hears the soft female voice calling for him to enter then walks into Allura's bedroom. Moving across the small room, he finds her sitting up in the bed with a book in her hands, her injured knee propped up with pillows and what looks to be a bag of ice lying across it.

Keith smiles at her as he sits down in the chair placed across from her bed for visitors and says, "Good morning, your Highness."

She nods to him but does not return the smile as she sets the book aside. He studies her closely, taking note of the light bruise on her forehead where the guard had hit her. Taking a deep breath and releasing it, Keith asks, "How are you feeling this morning?"

Allura shrugs but finally responds to him, "My knee is swollen, hurts horribly and I have a slight headache. Dr. Gorma has ordered me to stay off my feet for today."

"I understand the headache," Keith smiles at her, "I still have one of my own." He points up to the bandage on his forehead. When she does not respond, he sighs. "Look Princess, I know we got off to a bad start and that was my fault. I've been told I make a terrible patient and tend to be irritating, and have a bad temper when I'm injured." He stops then looks her in the eye as he finishes, "I'm sorry. I was a complete ass yesterday."

A smile finally creeps across her face as she nods at him then replies, "I was not at my best yesterday either. I responded poorly to your…request…to remain behind." Allura pauses, her eyes moving over him when she states, "I do not react well to men giving me orders."

Laughter erupts out of Keith as he nods at her in response. She smiles back at him then it falls off her face. Looking away, Allura says, "Look, Commander Kogane, while I appreciate what you did for me yesterday, that does not mean I am going to walk away and let you take over my kingdom."

"Princess Allura…" he stops for a moment then starts again, "I have no intention of taking away your right to rule here. However, we do need to work together. Perhaps, I can share my knowledge of military strategy with you and you can teach me diplomacy and tact."

It is Allura's turn to laugh and she nods at him, "I would like that very much."

Keith smiles at her then rises, "I need to get going. We are meeting with Coran soon to go over the order in which we will visit the other kingdoms. I just wanted to check on you and apologize for my poor behavior yesterday."

"Thank you," she replies then adds, "Good luck with the rest of the keys."

Nodding, the commander replies, "We will get them Princess, have no fear."

Allura watches him go then sighs as she looks toward her virtual window. Blue skies and sun shine through them back at her. After picking up the book she had been reading before the commander had arrived, she holds it in front of her unseeingly. She whispers a small prayer, "Please let them be the ones…"

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Walking into the conference room, Keith finds the advisor studying him as he asks, "How is the princess?"

"She is fine," he responds then looks over at the rest of the men. "Ok, two keys down, three to go and the glider only holds so many people."

"Yes, so does that mean those of us without keys are going and you are staying behind today? Maybe get a bit of rest?" Sven questions lightly with a smile on his face.

Keith glares at his second-in-command for his imprudence then replies, "Yes, Lance and I will remain behind." He turns his gaze to Coran, "What order are you going in?"

The advisor pulls up a map on the video screen behind him as he replies, "I think we will start with Wind Kingdom. Actually, I think we will need one of you along that has a key. Though we rarely have contact with them, they have people guarding the lion. The man in charge is rather unpleasant. I do not think he will allow us to try for the key to Green lion unless he can see the mark on your hand and the key to one of the other lions."

"Damn," Lance mutters then looks over at Hunk and Pidge, "That backseat is going to be very tight…"

Keith nods then states, "You're going Lance. I think I proved yesterday that with my head injury, riding in that glider is a bit too much for me right now."

"How bad?" Sven suddenly demands, his eyes narrowed on the commander.

"I'm all right Sven, just a persistent headache this morning."

Coran clears his throat, "I think we would all feel better if you would allow Dr. Gorma look you over again, Commander."

Sighing, Keith gives in as he replies, "Very well." He changes the subject back to the lions, "Assuming you succeed in Wind Kingdom, where to next?"

"The final two kingdoms do not guard their lions, so I do not foresee any problems accessing their caverns. However, Earth Kingdom is closer to Wind Kingdom than Water Kingdom is, so we will go there next," Coran informs them as he looks up at the map.

Twenty minutes later after they had finished discussing the possible trials, Keith stands up as he says, "Good luck men."

The other four nod at him with Sven, Hunk and Pidge looking none too confident as they leave the conference room. Coran walks up to him, "Since you are staying behind, will you do me the favor of watching over her Highness today? She gets rather impatient with bed rest."

Keith manages not to smile as he answers, "I'll check in on her from time to time, yes."

"Thank you Commander," Coran replies then walks out of the room.

Waiting until the door to the room closes behind the older man; Keith finally sits back down in a conference room chair and holds his head with his hands. Closing his eyes, he wills the pounding in his head to ease.

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An hour later in the glider, Pidge sits in silence as the others talk, his mind on the possible trial to gain a lion key. A sudden thought occurs to him and he asks, "Lance, why were you the one that went after the key to Red lion?"

"It's a feeling you get," replies Lance, looking sideways at him, then he sighs, "I don't understand it, but the minute I looked at that lion, I knew it was mine." Pidge nods in understanding then goes back to his musings as the others continue to talk around him.

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They reach Wind Kingdom thirty minutes later and stop in front of two, large closed doors. Pidge follows Lance out of the vehicle and watches the advisor walk up to the doors to pound on them. They open a moment later to find two soldiers standing on the inside, blasters in hand, as they look them over. The eldest one glances at Pidge then looks back at the advisor, "You are welcome Coran, but I do not know the rest of the men with you."

"Yes, they are here from Galaxy Garrison on Princess Allura's request. They want to try to procure the key to Green lion," Coran responds then waits.

The man snorts in derision as he retorts, "No one can get that key…"

"Perhaps…" Coran interjects then adds, "If you would contact Master Barden to give us access, I would be most appreciative."

Nodding, the man gestures to the younger man next to him. He takes a comm. unit from his belt and steps away from the group as he talks into it. The younger man returns a moment later to say, "Barden says to escort them to the lion cavern, he will deal with them there."

"Well, there you have it," Coran cheerfully states then he gestures to the older man, "If you will lead the way."

The man releases a snort of disdain then gestures for them to follow him. Pidge glances back when the sound of the doors closing echoes in the tunnel and finds the other man following behind him, gun held at ready. Repressing his instinct to take the weapon away, he looks over at Hunk to find an agitated look on his face as well. He hears Sven speaking quietly from the other side, "Easy…do not provoke a fight…yet."

Pidge nods in understanding then his attention is drawn to the lion cavern as they enter it. His eyes travel up the length of the Green lion and he feels a pull toward it from within him. He cannot tell if the voice in his head is his own or another's as he hears, _'Mine…Green lion is mine.' _His eyes travel away from it to the door off to one side. A lion with the symbol of wind wrapped around it is engraved on it. Before he can move in that direction, he hears, "Coran Montrane, why do you bring strangers into Wind Kingdom?"

"We have come for the key to Green lion, Barden," the Storm Kingdom advisor starts to say only to be interrupted, "No one can get that key. Many have died trying." Small in stature but broad in the chest and legs, Barden has short cropped, brown hair and narrow eyes. He looks from Coran to the men behind him as he adds, "Return to Storm Kingdom and take the strangers with you."

As Barden turns to walk away, Coran goes after him, "Please wait. We have come so far and I know one of these men can do it." The other man turns back to him, "How? You of all people know it is impossible to get the keys to the lions. How many men have died trying for the key to Black lion?"

"I don't know Mister, but I know it can be done." Lance steps forward holding up the key to Red lion, "Since I already have the one to Red. My commander has the one to Black lion."

Barden incredulously looks at the key in Lance's hand then turns his attention back to Coran when he hears, "That is not all, Lance, please show him the mark on the back of your hand."

Taking a deep breath, the lieutenant steps closer and turns his hand over, showing the mark tattooed into the skin for the Fire Kingdom. Barden grabs Lance's hand and examines it closely as he utters, "Impossible…"

Lance rips his hand away from the man as he retorts, "It isn't…"

"Please Barden, I know you recognize the mark," Coran steps forward as he adds, "It is the mark of the Fire Kingdom's king."

Pidge studies the confused look on the man's face then steps forward, "I can do this."

The other two members of the party that had been silent until that moment share a surprised glance as Lance turns to him, "You got the feeling?"

Nodding, Pidge looks away from them and back at the door, "I need to go in there." As he turns to look back at Barden, his gaze stops on someone hiding in the shadows behind the lion. The figure takes a step closer in her attempt to observe the proceedings and Pidge can make out a small frame and features with long, dark hair and green eyes. She reminds him of a fairy before her eyes widen in alarm when she finds him staring at her and steps back into the shadows, disappearing.

Forcing his attention back to the situation, Pidge meets Barden's gaze once more, "I know I can do it sir. Please allow me to try."

Barden holds his gaze then coming to a decision, nods. "Very well, if you want to risk your life, I will not be the one to stop you." He gestures toward the door on the other side of the room, "After you…"

Taking a deep breath, Pidge shares a look with his teammates then starts walking toward the door. Reaching it, he reaches for the handle and hears the roar of a lion. Startled, he glances back to find an apprehensive look on Sven and Hunk's faces and an encouraging one on Lance's. The lieutenant smiles at him as he says, "You can do this Pidge…I know it."

Feeling bolstered, Pidge returns the smile then firmly grabs the handle. Opening the door, he quickly walks inside before he can change his mind. He stops abruptly as the door closes behind him and he takes another deep breath. Slowly walking into the chamber, Pidge looks around the dimly lit room to find very little visible. The room's walls consist of rock and he can barely make out the symbol of the Wind Kingdom carved into the floor in front of him. He steps forward then freezes when he hears, "What do you seek?"

Fighting to keep the trembling out of his voice, Pidge replies, "The key to Green lion."

"For what purpose?" the deep voice inquires.

"I wish to protect Arus and its people from Planet Doom," Pidge responds as he keeps looking around the room, waiting for something to happen. Silence fills the room for several long moments before the voice says, "Many have tried for the key to Green lion, none have succeeded. What makes you think you shall?"

"I do not know," Pidge replies then adds, "But I feel the need to try."

"Very well, but it will take more than strength to reach your goal," the voice states calmly.

Resisting the urge to ask what it will take, Pidge instead says, "I know." He looks around the room once more, waiting for something to happen when he spots a light at the far end of the room suddenly shining. Sitting up on a high ledge, the light shines on the key to Green lion.

Glancing from side to side and finding no danger, Pidge steps forward. A light wind suddenly fills the room, brushing his hair off his shoulders. The youngest member of the Garrison troops stops, his gaze moving about the room again as he thinks, _'This is it? Perhaps I will get off easy like Keith did.'_ He takes another step forward and the speed of the wind rises.

Holding up a hand to protect his face, Pidge keeps walking forward, with each step the speed of the wind increases. He feels the wind pulling at his clothes and soon he is fighting to take the smallest step forward as the force of the wind pushes him back. He finally falls backward against its might and slides all the way back to the door, hitting it with a hard thud. Gritting his teeth against the gale force still pounding at him, Pidge struggles to stand up and tries to walk forward again. Instantly, he is pushed back against the door once more.

Rising, he looks about the room but there is nothing to aid him forward. No ropes, no cracks in the walls or floor to hang on to, nothing. His mind searches for a solution when Pidge suddenly remembers what Coran had told him the day before; _each king valued a different trait_. His gaze moves up to the ledge containing the key as he remembers the voice's statement that it would take more than strength and a smile crosses his face.

Turning his back to the wind, Pidge takes a step backward away from the door then holds his hands out away from his sides. Saying a little prayer and closing his eyes, he falls backward but does not land on the floor. Opening his eyes, Pidge looks out the corners to find himself floating forward on the breeze. The wind surrounding him now a warm, gentle caress that runs through his hair, over his face and along his body as it carries him toward the ledge and the key to Green lion.

Feeling his feet landing on the surface of the ledge, the wind suddenly dies around him. Pidge looks around and spots the key to the lion once more. Before he can reach for it, a ghostly ball of light appears in front of him. The voice from earlier comes out of it, "Congratulations my young friend. Only someone who had faith in his fate could have reached this ledge. The key is yours."

The ball of light fades away and Pidge reaches for the key. As he touches it, a bright light shines around him and he feels an energy go through him. When the light fades, he finds the key to Green lion in his palm and the symbol of the Wind Kingdom tattooed into the back of his hand. Jumping off the ledge, Pidge lands on the floor with a smile on his face as he runs across the room to rejoin his friends.


	10. Chapter 10

Hello, hoping everyone had a happy and safe 4th of July, at least those from the USA. My editor was too busy to help me edit this week, so I'm going it alone and hoping all of you don't find too many errors. If she gets back to me with any needed changes, I'll update the chapter. Enjoy.

I make no claims to Voltron or any WEP characters.

Origins: A Legend Unfolds: Chapter 10

Thirty minutes later, Keith replies, "That's great Pidge!" into the microphone in the control room. He feels briefly relieved until he remembers that they still need to retrieve two more lion keys. Remembering that Pidge is waiting for him, he hits the button to the microphone once more, "When are you moving onto Earth Kingdom?

"The others are leaving now. I'm bringing Green lion back to Storm Kingdom. Barden, the guy in charge here, was less than happy with me when I returned with the key. He basically told us to take the lion and get out."

Keith sucks in a deep breath and shakes his head, "Not a good idea Pidge, we don't want the Drules to see the lions until we have all the keys."

"The service tunnels between the kingdoms are narrow, but the ones between the lion caverns are big enough to run the lion through it Keith. I won't be above ground," Pidge explains.

"Very well, check in with me when you return and tell Coran to check in as well when they reach Earth Kingdom," orders the commander.

"Will do Cap…out."

Sitting back in the command chair, Keith thinks through the conversation and his promise to check on the princess. Thinking, _'She would want to know about this…'_ he rises from the chair and informs the nearby guard, "Take my place, I will return in a few minutes."

At the guard's nod, he leaves the room. Walking down the hallway, his mind is on the upcoming lion challenges Sven and Hunk will be facing. Barely noticing where he is, he stops abruptly when he realizes he has reached the princess' room. Knocking on the door, he waits for an acknowledgement that does not come. Keith knocks once more then reaches for the button and the door glides open. "Princess?" he inquires as he walks into the room to find it empty.

Swearing broadly, he runs back to the control room. Hurrying inside, Keith gestures to the man in the command chair to move. He quickly switches on the princess' tracking tag then looks up at the spot on the map. His gaze moves back to the soldier next to him as he demands, "Where is that?"

"Near the lion's cavern. Take the first right when you leave the compound instead of going toward the cavern. It will lead you there," the man informs the commander.

Nodding, Keith rises as he quickly leaves the control room again. Running down the hall, he soon reaches the stairs that lead down to the tunnel for the Black lion. Taking the right tunnel as instructed, he hurries toward the end to find a single large hole in the wall. Entering it, he finds two small pools of steaming water.

His eyes move over them in quick succession only to find them empty. In desperation, he calls out, "PRINCESS ALLURA!"

"I am here…"

Keith turns to find a third pool he missed on his entrance. His mouth drops open as the princess rises from the water nude, the water sliding off her body in a rush as she pushes her wet hair back off her face. Quickly turning around, he gives her his back. However, the image in his head of the water running off her high tipped breasts and down her narrow hips with her wet hair hanging down to her waist and clinging to her body causes him to harden. He takes a deep, calming breath then says, "Princess, could you cover up, please?"

Climbing out of the pool, Allura picks up her towel and starts wiping herself dry as she looks over at the commander to find him facing the way out. Curious, she inquires, "Is there something wrong?"

Trying hard not to choke with nervous laughter, Keith replies, "You could say that. Don't you have a bathing suit?"

"A bathing suit?" she pauses to ask, a bit perplexed, "You wear clothes when you bathe?"

Shaking his head, he turns to look at her then quickly turns back to face the door, having seen that she is still standing in the nude. Feeling the heat of his embarrassment creeping across his cheeks even as his groin throbs with need, Keith pleads, "Princess, please…cover yourself."

"Have I offended you?" Allura asks as she picks up her robe and slides it on. Slowly, she limps over to him in her bare feet, "Do you not bathe in the nude on Earth?"

He glances back once more then sighs. Relieved to find her body covered, the commander faces her to answer, "In private bathrooms, yes. In public places, no." He pauses then says, "Well, some people do, but the majority don't."

"Well, I am sorry if I have offended your sense of modesty Commander Kogane. I did not realize people from Earth were so…prudish," replies Allura as she uses the towel on her hair.

"I am _not_ a prude…" Keith states emphatically, his eyes narrowing on her.

"No? Then why did you become upset? It is only the human form…a body like any other," she questions him.

Resisting the urge to retort "Not like any other body," Keith clamps his mouth shut for a moment and looks away from her. Taking a deep breath, he asks, "Do you bathe down here often?"

She smiles at his topic change, but answers him, "Sometimes. My knee was not hurting as much and the warm water always makes me feel better, especially when I have a headache." Gesturing to the pools, the princess adds, "Many people use these pools. Sometimes groups come down here."

Keith is silent for a moment as he contemplates that statement then asks in a low voice, "Men and women together, in the nude?"

Laughing delightfully at his hesitant tone of voice, Allura states, "You really are a prude Commander Kogane." His face turns an even brighter shade of red, from anger or embarrassment she does not know. She does not wait for him to reply before adding, "Usually the women will be in one pool, the men in another, but yes, the groups will be mixed."

When he does not respond, she decides to tease him, "If you still have your headache, perhaps you should undress and soak in the pool for a while." Her eyes flash with mischievousness as she adds, "I can stay and keep others out if you wish." Allura almost laughs at the startled sound that escapes the commander before he clamps his mouth shut again. He refuses to meet her gaze and only shakes his head at her in reply. A moment passes then he quietly mutters, "I need to return to the control room soon."

She nods then a thought occurs to her, "Why did you come down here seeking me?"

Reminded of why he had sought her in the first place, Keith says, "I went to your room to give you an update," his tone is a bit accusatory as he adds, "But you weren't there." Clearing his throat, he finishes, "Pidge passed the trial for the key to Green lion. He's bringing the lion back here and the others are on their way to Earth Kingdom now."

A bright smile crosses her face as she excitedly exclaims, "That is fabulous news. I am sure they will be able to gain the other keys."

Keith nods at her then glances around once more at the steaming pools, "If you are finished here, I can escort you back to your room before I return to the control room."

Fighting not to laugh at the commander as he looks at everything but her, Allura replies, "That would be very kind of you. My knee is still a bit sore. I should probably put it up again." She takes his pro-offered arm and slowly walks with him from the cavern.

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A while later, Keith sits in the control room, rubbing his throbbing temple. He hears the doors to the room opening behind him and turns the command chair to face the arrival. Pidge smiles broadly at him as he quickly crosses the room and holds up the key to the lion. Keith smiles at him in return then asks, "How was the ride back?"

"Cap…" The young man's eyes shine with excitement, "that lion is unlike any ship I've ever been in before. Even though I haven't had any training, it just seemed to come naturally to me. Like I knew how to work the controls!"

Smiling at his enthusiasm, Keith replies, "I felt something similar in Black lion."

Nodding, Pidge looks around, "Where's Princess Allura?"

"Resting in her room…I hope," states Keith then turns around in the chair and presses the controls to activate the tracking chip on the princess. It shows her location to be her bedroom and he sighs in relief. Turning back to Pidge, he finds the younger man studying him closely and asks, "What?"

"You still have a headache, don't you?" Pidge gestures at him, "I was so excited when I first came in, I didn't notice it. But your face is white and your eyes look funny too." His eyes narrow on the commander, "Did you have Dr. Gorma check you over again?"

Irritated by the questions, Keith retorts, "No, with the rest of you gone, I had to cover control."

"Well, I'll take your place then and you can go get checked," Pidge rationally replies then gestures for the commander to get out of the chair.

Resisting the urge to tell the younger man where he can go, Keith slowly rises, the throbbing in his head increasing with the movement. He manages to utter, "Fine…" then walks out of the room without saying another word.

Pidge watches him go then sighs as he sits down in the command chair and starts checking the status of each post.

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Riding in the glider on the way to Earth Kingdom, Hunk feels his anxiety increase with each mile. He glances behind him into the backseat to find Sven looking uncharacteristically edgy. The Norwegian is known for his unflappable manner, but right now, he looks like he will snap the head off the first person who speaks. Hunk turns back around and glances over at the advisor. Coran stares straight ahead as he flies the glider along the passageway leading to Earth Kingdom. Feeling Hunk's regard, the older man turns his head and smiles reassuringly at him then turns his attention back to his flying.

Taking a deep breath, Hunk closes his eyes as he tries to calm himself. Finally, Lance speaks from the backseat, "Jesus you two, quit acting like you are about to face the guillotine and relax."

Hunk turns around in the seat to face Lance and growls, "Easy for you to say…you already have your key, asshole."

Smiling unapologetically at the big man, Lance retorts, "I highly doubt you will be set on fire like I was, so relax!"

"Well…" Sven retorts from beside him, "It's what they will do to _us_ that we are worried about." He glares at Lance a moment longer then turns his head to look out the window at the passing rock walls.

Turning back around in his seat, Hunk stares ahead, not seeing the scenery around him as he mentally goes over what might be awaiting him in Earth Kingdom.

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Trying not to cringe at the light shining in his eyes, Keith quickly blinks his watering eyes several times when the doctor finally turns off the flashlight. Dr. Gorma plays with the small flashlight in his hand as he studies him then asks, "How long has the headache been bothering you?"

"It started yesterday on the ride back from Fire Kingdom. I got dizzy and sick on the way there and my head started pounding on the way back," explains Keith as he starts re-buttoning his shirt.

Dr. Gorma leans against the counter next to him, sets the flashlight on it and stares at the commander for another moment. Finally, he sighs as he pulls away, "Well, I do not think it is anything more serious than the concussion you suffered when your ship crashed." Keith looks relieved until the doctor adds, "However, I do think that you are trying to do too much too soon. I am giving you an order now."

Keith's eyebrows go up as Dr. Gorma sternly states, "You will rest for the remainder of today. No combat, no training, you will remain off duty until your headache goes away or you could cause yourself more damage." The doctor finally smiles as he suggests, "There are some hot springs in a cavern off the tunnel that leads to the Black lion." Keith feels his cheeks burning at the memory of his earlier visit to those springs as the doctor finishes, "I think you should go relax in there for a while then return to your room to rest."

Keeping silent, Keith nods then hops off the examination table. He does not look at the doctor as he walks out of the examination room then makes his way out of MedTech. Continuing down the hallways, he walks to his room then stops after entering it. Keith looks at his bed with longing but makes his way to his dresser instead. After pulling out a pair of shorts, he grabs the comm. unit off his belt, "Kogane to control."

"Hey Cap…how'd you turn out?"

Instantly irritated, Keith answers, "I've been ordered to rest for the remainder of the day. I'm going to the hot pools to relax..."

"Hot pools?"

Sighing, he explains, "There is a cave with some spring-fed, hot pools to the right of the tunnel that leads to the lion cavern. I will be there for a while. Call my comm. unit if I'm needed."

"You won't be," Pidge replies then states, "Control out."

Feeling his irritation rising, Keith resists the urge to radio back in to tell the young man off for his imprudence. Feeling his temples throb with pain, he returns to the task at hand and starts stripping off his uniform. Five minutes later, he wraps his robe around himself then leaves the room.

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Feeling his muscles tense as Coran stops the vehicle near another cavern, Hunk gets out of the glider and forces himself to stretch his sore muscles before looking around. He glances at Sven and Lance as they climb out of the glider then over at the advisor to demand, "Now what?"

Coran smiles at the broody man and replies, "The Yellow lion is just around the corner, follow me."

"Why didn't we just stop inside the lion cavern?" Lance questions as they move down the tunnel.

"Because he didn't want to alert someone to our presence immediately if they are in there," answers Sven for the advisor as they enter the cavern. Coran smiles at him as he responds, "That and the noise might alert the guards of Earth Kingdom. They may not actively guard the lion, but that does not mean they will stand back and just let us take it either."

Hunk listens to the conversation but does not comment as they enter the cavern holding the lion. He feels a surge go through him as he looks up at the big mechanical cat, almost as if seeing an old friend for the first time in years. He hears Sven next to him sigh and say, "Well, like the other lions, it is impressive, but I feel nothing toward it."

A hand falls on his shoulder as Lance asks, "Well big guy? What about you?"

It takes all Hunk has to pull his gaze from the lion to look down at Lance. The lieutenant smiles up at him, "You feel it…I can tell."

Nodding, Hunk looks back at the lion then to the side when the sound of a lion roaring draws his attention. A large wooden door has a mountain with a lion in the center, looking ready to pounce, etched into it. He moves toward it, unaware of the others following him. Reaching it, Hunk hears the roar of the lion again and finally glances back.

Lance gestures to him to go ahead while Sven tries to smile encouragingly at him. His gaze moves to the advisor, who nods as he says, "May the gods be with you on your quest."

Without another word, Hunk turns around and yanks hard on the handle to the door. As it opens, he walks inside then waits. He hears the door shut behind him but his attention is on the room in front of him. High rock walls line the room with torches providing a small amount of light. In the center of the room, the same etching that was on the door lines the floor. A bright light shines down onto a small object suspended in midair at the end of the room.

Recognizing it to be the key to the lion, Hunk steps forward then stops abruptly at the sound of a gravelly voice saying, "You are not of Arus…why have you come here?"

Hunk looks around the room, trying to locate the origin of the voice then giving up, replies, "I want to protect Arus from the Drules."

"But you are not Arusian. Why do you care what happens to Arus?" the voice questions.

Getting angry now, Hunk balls up his fists as he retorts, "The Arusians can't protect themselves so have asked for my help."

"Interesting…" the voice replies then questions, "so you feel you are up to the task of becoming a protector of Arus?'

"Yes! Or I wouldn't be here!" Hunk yells into the surrounding darkness.

Amusement slips into the voice's tone as he states, "Many have tried and failed, what makes you think you can complete the trial?"

"Because I won't quit!" answers Hunk as he shakes his fist in the air.

"Very well Earthling…let's see how far you will go," the voice replies then becomes silent.

Hunk looks around the dark room then starts to walk toward the key. Suddenly the sand from the cave floor swirls up around him. It soon takes the form of men and they grab at his arms and shoulders. Hunk yells as he yanks his arm away then throws a punch at the closest sand man. It dissolves back into sand and falls to the ground. The big man barely notices as he continues to punch at the remaining two.

As they fall back to the floor as sand, Hunk grunts in satisfaction then starts forward again. The sand swirls around him once more, forming six men this time. A growl of anger escapes the big man as he starts punching his way through them once more. This time the sand barely falls to the floor before the sand men are reformed, each time doubling. Hunk starts yelling in frustration as he keeps striking the sand men while continuing to try to move forward.

The sand men surround him then start trying to fall on him, dropping away when his fist goes through them only to reform and charge him once more. Hunk screams as the group finally falls on him, burying him in sand. The mound moves until Hunk bursts through the top a minute or two later, yelling, "NO!" as he claws his way out of the pile of sand. Reaching the stone floor, he gasps for breath as he stands up and finds the key just a few steps out of reach.

About to take the necessary step forward, the sand suddenly swirls around him. It moves faster and faster until Hunk cannot see the light or the key in front of him anymore. Holding a hand in front of his eyes to protect them, he forces his body into the swirling sand. Screaming in pain from the sand striking his body, Hunk keeps moving forward, step by slow, agonizing step. He stops when he feels something hit against the back of his hand. Blindly reaching out, he grabs something small then the sand suddenly drops.

Standing upright, Hunk looks down at his hand in disbelief to find the key to Yellow lion. He yells in surprise the next instant as he feels a surge of energy go through his body leaving him struggling to stay on his feet. The surge is gone a moment later, leaving Hunk gasping for air. He looks back down at the back of his hand to find the symbol of Earth Kingdom tattooed onto the skin. A tall mountain range covers the entire hand with a small lion in the center that looks like it is ready to pounce. Shaking his head at it, Hunk turns around to start for the door but stops when the voice says, "Congratulations Earthling on your victory. May your perseverance and strength serve Arus well."

Refusing to answer the voice, Hunk stalks across the room and yanks the door open. He steps out only for Lance to grab him in a back slapping hug, "I knew you could do it big guy!" Pulling back, Lance grabs Hunk's right hand to stare at the symbol tattooed into it.

Coran steps forward with a smile on his face, "Congratulations Hunk."

Nodding to him, Hunk notices the short but nervous smile Sven gives him before the Norwegian turns away from him and walks back across the cavern. Turning back to Lance, the big man finally angrily speaks, "I never want to hear you whining about being lit on fire again…I was buried alive in there!" then starts walking toward Sven's direction.

The look on Lance's face turns to one of confusion as he follows Hunk, "What do you mean buried alive?"

Trying hard not to laugh at them, Coran glances at the closed door once more then follows the men.


	11. Chapter 11

Many thanks to all those that have reviewed and asked me to post sooner. I know you would like to read more of it, much faster. However, it a matter of quality over quantity. I need time to edit and my editor, the fantastic Wade Wells, needs time to go over the chapters as well and she has an extremely busy schedule. I'm also still working on writing the ending in between, so patience my friends, you will get the full story, no worries. I always finish a story once I start posting.

I make no claims to Voltron or any WEP characters.

Origins: A Legend Unfolds: Chapter 11

Standing at the bridge of his command ship, Cossack studies the main monitor. Planet Arus continuously grows larger on the screen as they approach it. His eyes move from the monitor to the robot sitting in front of the controls, "Ready the fighters. We attack when we arrive."

"Yes, General Cossack," the robot replies then starts pressing buttons on the panel.

The Drule looks back at the monitor, his tone low as he snarls to himself, "They will hand over those Garrison soldiers or I will destroy what's left of this pathetic planet."

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Reaching the glider, Coran stops when he notices that while Hunk and Lance are standing near the ship, the lieutenant-commander was farther away, facing a stone wall. He looks pointedly at the other two, who shrug at him in response. Rolling his eyes, Coran walks across the cavern and lays a hand on the younger man's shoulder, "Are you all right Sven?"

The Norwegian nods but remains silent as he continues to stare at the wall. Taking a deep breath, Coran demands, "What is wrong?"

Sven finally turns to face him. He glances back at the other two to check on their location then quietly says, "None of the lions have given me the feeling the others have mentioned. What if the Blue lion doesn't either?"

Nodding in understanding, Coran replies, "It is the last lion, the last chance for you to gain a key." As the younger man pales even more and looks away, he adds, "My question is, why you think you will not succeed when the others have?"

Sven looks back up at him, shock on his face as the advisor smiles at him, "This is your destiny, never doubt it. You will succeed just as the others have. You simply need to believe it."

The two men simply stare at each other for several long minutes then Sven nods to him. He starts walking back across the cavern to the glider. Glancing to Coran as he walks beside him, his eyes have a determined look to them as he says, "Very well, we should continue onto Water Kingdom." He looks back over at Hunk as they reach the glider and asks, "Should we have Hunk take the Yellow lion back to Storm Kingdom?"

"It is not necessary. We have already built a launch system to reach it," Coran informs him as he walks with the other man back to the glider. "Since the remaining members of the Earth Kingdom do not take care of the Yellow lion, we do. We built the launch system out here so that we could reach it quickly if needed."

"It took us over an hour to get here. How fast can you get a pilot here from Storm Kingdom?" Lance asks as he steps away from the glider.

"Within a minute. The launch system fires a small craft at supersonic speeds from a tunnel under the control room. We have built a launch to the Black lion and Blue lion as well. We will add something for the Green lion since it will be stored in Storm Kingdom and I already had the men start to build one toward Fire Kingdom. I assure you gentlemen, in the event of an emergency, you will be able to reach these lions quickly," Coran explains to them.

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An alarm goes off, making Pidge jump in his seat. Turning toward those controls, he flips the switches and looks up at the monitor in horror. The screen turns from radar to video, showing a large Drule battleship entering Arus' airspace and squadrons of fighters flying out of it. Swearing broadly, he hits the general alarm button then grabs the comm. unit to call the Fire Kingdom.

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Groaning in satisfaction as the heat of the hot pool invades his sore muscles, Keith leans back in the water. A sense of peace fills him that he has not felt since before the team's last mission that had cost them so many men. He closes his eyes and rests his head against a smooth groove in the rock that seems to be perfect for that purpose. He can feel every muscle in his body relax, going all the way down to his toes. Slowly his head stops throbbing and only a dull ache remains.

The crackle of his comm. unit has him opening his eyes, "Control to Commander Kogane…come in!"

Quickly rising out of the water, Keith grabs the unit, "This is Kogane, what's wrong Pidge?"

"We are under attack. A Drule battleship has just entered Arus airspace and has released several squadrons of fighters. They are firing on the area around the remains of the castle."

Keith swears loudly, "Call the others and tell those that have keys to get to their lions!"

"Already done Commander," Pidge replies in a steady voice, "Fire Kingdom is tracking down Princess Maia to have her get Lance."

"I'm on my way to my lion!" Keith states as he yanks the key for his lion out of the pocket of his robe but leaves his things behind as he runs toward the lion cavern.

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Princess Allura limps her way down the hallway as fast as she can, the sound of the alarms echoing in the narrow space. Reaching the control room, she hears the last of Pidge's conversation with the commander. Quickly reaching the command chair, she informs him, "I will take care of control. Go! Get to your lion!"

Nodding, the young man takes off at a run out of control. Allura sits down in the chair and hits the comm. unit, "All gunners, fire on the Drule ships!"

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Smiling at the looks of wonder on the other men's faces, Coran finally gestures to the glider, "Shall we go? We still have one more key to retrieve." Before Sven or the others can answer, Princess Maia appears next to them and announces, "Arus is under attack. Commander Kogane and the one called Pidge are already heading out in their lions. I need to get Lance to Red lion!"

"Wait!" Lance calls out as he glances over at Sven, "We still need the Blue lion."

"Impossible…" interjects Coran, "It will take us over an hour to reach Water Kingdom."

"But not for Maia," replies Lance as he takes a step toward her. She shakes her head at him, "I need to get you to Red lion."

Impatient with them, the lieutenant retorts, "But you can come back here after and take Sven to Water Kingdom. We need that last lion!"

Maia releases a sigh then nods, "Very well, I will come back for Sven after I get you to Red lion." She grabs Lance's shoulder as he starts to say something else and they both disappear. Sven turns his gaze to Hunk, "Get to Yellow lion…"

The big man nods and takes off back down the tunnel. Maia reappears right after and looks at the Norwegian, "Are you ready?"

Nodding, Sven looks over at the advisor, "Go back to Storm Kingdom…" At the older man's nod, Sven places a hand on Maia's shoulder and they disappear. The advisor stands there looking at the glider for a moment chagrined then states, "Would have been good of her to take me back to Storm Kingdom." Resigning himself to the fact he would not know the outcome of the battle until he returned, Coran quickly gets into the glider and takes off.

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Sliding into the command chair of his lion, Keith fingers the key a moment longer, the item he has not let out of his sight since he won it. Sliding it into the slot, he watches the controls light up then reaches for the control handle. The tattoo on his hand ignites as Keith yanks back on the control and starts the lion running down the tunnel that leads to the surface.

Soon the sun lit sky awaits him and he pushes Black lion up into the air. Changing direction, Keith finds the battleship over the remains of the Castle of Storm Kingdom. Its laser shot crumbling the few remaining walls. Hitting the comm. unit, he calls out, "Pidge, where are you?"

"Right behind you Cap."

Flipping on his rear screen, Keith finds the Green lion flying up behind him. Even with the threat of battle, the younger man cannot contain his enthusiasm, "This lion flies like a dream!"

"Yes, the flight control is great…let's see what the weapons can do. You flank the Doom ships on the right, I'll take left and hope to God Lance gets here soon!"

He hears the eagerness in the other pilot's voice as he replies, "You got it Commander!"

His eyes move over the controls as Keith turns the lion to the side then starts flying at the fighters in front of him. Instinct has him hitting a button and he mutters, "Whoa…" as a blade forms between the lion's teeth. Smiling in anticipation, Keith pushes the lion even faster as he flies at the awaiting ships.

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With his eyes widening in recognition, Cossack mutters, "It cannot be…" as he watches the Black and Green lions of Arus flying up at him. "Those things were supposed to have been destroyed by the old witch!"

Swearing in Drulian, he yells, "Open fire! Take out those lions!"

He watches the screen as Doom fighters fly at the lions. Blades form in the lions' mouths as they fly right through several of the fighters. Screaming in frustration, Cossack orders, "More squadrons! I want every fighter we have launched to destroy those lions!"

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Gasping, Sven bends over to get control of his sudden nausea as he releases his hold on the Fire Kingdom princess' shoulder. Maia glances down at his pale face as she inquires, "Are you all right?"

Swallowing hard against the bile threatening to erupt, Sven stands back up to ask, "How can you do that without feeling ill?"

Maia shrugs then looks around the poorly lit cavern. Her eyes fall on the giant, blue mechanical lion then shifts back to the Norwegian, "I need to return to my kingdom. Can you do this alone?"

For the first time, Sven looks over at the Blue lion and a surge of feeling goes through him. He does not answer her immediately as he takes a step toward the lion, his eyes traveling over it. He hears the princess say his name and finally snaps out of it to turn back to her. Managing a smile as he starts to feel confident, Sven says, "Yes, this lion is mine."

Maia smiles, "I will leave you to it then," then disappears with a flash of light.

He looks back up at the lion then hears the roaring sound coming from the side of the cavern. A closed wooden door with an etching of a lion with waves of water rising up around it, awaits him.

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Running out of the lion out of the tunnel, Lance pulls the control back and takes off into the air. His anger with the Fire Kingdom princess had not abated with her disappearance. She had delivered him into the cockpit of Red lion, ordered him to get going then disappeared again without even a goodbye. Despite his desire not follow to her orders, Lance had gotten into the command seat and taken off.

Flying up into the sky, he finally hits the comm. unit, "Red lion heading to your location, should be there in two minutes."

"Hurry your ass Lance!" Keith orders, "Pidge and I are taking heavy fire!"

He listens as Hunk joins in the conversation, "We'll be right there Cap…I've got Yellow lion!"

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The princess' eyes follow the lions on the screen as Black lion takes a blast in the side, causing the lion to land on its side on the ground. Just as quickly, the lion is back on its feet and flying back up in the air. Grabbing the microphone, Allura calls out, "Use your proton missiles!"

Keith's reply is sarcastic, "When I find the button that controls them, no problem…"

With indignation filling her, she watches as the tail of Black lion lifts instead and a ray shoots out of it, blowing up the nearest fighter. Missiles launch off the Green lion a moment later and Pidge instructs, "Left side of the control panel, button second from the top."

"Got it…" the commander replies then calls out, "Lance, Hunk…where the hell are you?"

"Here!"

Allura watches as Red lion approaches from one side as Yellow lion comes for the other. Both lions begin firing on the fighters, giving the Green and Black lions room to pull back.

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Reaching the door, Sven stares at the image etched into it a moment longer then grasps the iron handle. The door creaks as it opens, causing goose pimples to rush up his arms as he walks into the room. As poorly lit as the lion cavern, he has a hard time making out much of anything. Swearing under his breath, he mutters, "Where the hell are the lights?"

Suddenly the room shines bright with torches that ignite in a circle going around the room. Sven turns around the room, looking for a threat. Finding none, he steps forward, glancing down at the symbol of Water Kingdom dug into the hard rock floor as he goes. He stops suddenly when he hears, "Earthling, you have come a long way from your home. What do you hope to accomplish?"

Dropping to his knees, Sven lowers his eyes to the floor in deference as he replies, "I ask for the key to the Blue lion to help my friends. They are trying to stop the Drules attacking near Storm Kingdom and cannot do it alone."

"But you must earn the key…" the voice replies solemnly.

Looking back up to find a ball of light in front of him, Sven pleads with it, "Please, do not make me waste time with a trial. The battle is already happening! They have the other four lions, but we need Blue lion to form Voltron!"

The ball of light hovers closer to him as the voice replies, "Just because your friends have earned the other keys does not instantly make you worthy of the key to Blue lion."

Rising to his feet, Sven keeps his voice calm as he answers, "I feel it in my heart that I am meant to pilot that lion and to help protect Arus. The lion spoke to me when I arrived with Princess Maia."

"Princess Maia…" the voice repeats in a wondrous tone, "she is truly a daughter of the Fire Kingdom."

"Yes, I know," Sven states, "she would die for her kingdom just as I am willing to die for Water Kingdom." When the voice does not reply, he pleads once more, "Please, grant me the key to Blue lion before it is too late. I do not wish to lose my friends in battle as the kings once were." When the light does not immediately answer him, he yells, "PLEASE! DO NOT LET MORE PEOPLE NEEDLESSLY DIE!"

The ball of light suddenly shines brighter then rises. Sven cranes his neck back as it stops six feet above him. The voice is determined as it speaks again, "Sven Holgersson of Earth, I can feel your overwhelming desire to help your friends and the remaining people of Arus. For your sincerity and faith, I will grant you the key to Blue lion. Go now, protect Arus."

Sparks emit from the ball of light then it explodes. Sven ducks then looks down when he hears something striking the floor. Gasping at the sight of the remaining lion key, he bends down to pick it up then yells as energy goes through him. A sudden vision of a beautiful, young woman with long blonde hair and the same sapphire blue eyes as Princess Allura goes through his mind. It is gone a moment later with the bolt of energy and Sven gasps as he struggles to stand upright. Refusing to take the time to examine what he had just seen, he rushes for the door instead. Yanking it open, he runs from the key room to the Blue lion.

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Sitting in the control room, Allura watches on the monitors as the Red lion flies through a Doom fighter and Lance calls out, "Whoo hoo! Take that you Drule bastard!" His voice is full of wonder next as he says, "Check this out!"

She stares at the screen as fire roars out of the Red lion's mouth to melt a Doom fighter. Shaking her head at his delighted laughter, Allura hears the commander say, "Stow it McClain…we are being out flanked. You and Hunk take the right side as Pidge and I go around to the left, let's get them surrounded!"

Grabbing the comm. unit, the princess calls out, "No Commander! You need to break up the fighters into smaller units…"

"Princess Allura, when I want your opinion I'll ask for it!" Keith retorts then adds, "I will direct my team, not you!"

Fury fills her as she watches the lions surround the fighters and several of them collide while trying to outmaneuver the lions. Her mouth drops in wonder as the lions fly through the remaining fighters then round on them once more. She listens to the commander call out, "That's it. Now, break up the remaining units then destroy them! Hunk, Lance…"

"We're on it Cap!" the big man replies as Yellow lion, with Red lion beside it, fly through the center of the fighters, forcing them to change directions where the Green and Black lions are waiting for them.

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Screaming in frustration as he watches his fighters being destroyed, Cossack yells out his next command, "Get us down there now! Fire all laser cannons on the lions!"

"Yes, General Cossack."

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A yell of pain escapes Keith as he feels the lion falling out of the sky after being struck by a laser missile from the battleship. Grabbing onto the controls, he levels the lion then flips the lion midair to avoid another missile only to be struck by another one coming from a different direction. Fighting to keep his lion in the sky, Keith calls out, "Someone, cover my six…"

"I've got you!" He hears Lance call out only to watch the monitor in horror as his Red lion is struck by a laser beam from the battleship and tossed back as well. Swearing under his breath, Keith dodges the next laser and calls out, "Everyone, we need to take out the guns on that battleship!"

"Draw it closer to Storm Kingdom, the ground crews can help cover you," he hears Allura say. Feeling his irritation rising, Keith retorts, "I don't need your ground crews killed…we can handle this Princess, now back off!"

He misses her retort as he orders, "Hunk, flank from the right, Lance from the left. Pidge and I will go straight at it!"

"Yes, Cap!" the other pilots respond then fly at the battleship. Keith barely misses the laser blast intended for Black lion but listens as Pidge yells when his lion is thrown back from a head on blast. He watches as Hunk manages to avoid a blast and fires on the battleship. He manages to hit one gun but another fires a shot that he is unable to avoid.

As Yellow lion goes flying back, Keith dodges another blast and fires proton missiles at the ship. He curses as they are blown out of the air by the lasers. He listens to Lance's victorious laugh as he takes out another gun then the Red lion pilot yells a moment later as he is hit with a laser.

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Laughter erupts out of Cossack as he watches the lions flying back with each laser blast. He turns to his weapon's master, "That's it, keep it up. I want those lions blown out of the sky!" A feeling of elation goes through him at his impeding victory as he watches the Black lion finally fail in dodging a missile and falls backward out of the sky.

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Yanking hard on the controls while yelling, Keith pulls the lion out of its free-fall just a few hundred feet from striking the ground. Rising back up into the air, he hears Hunk call out, "Cap, it's too much. We need help!"

Not wanting to agree and have their determination waver, Keith replies, "We can do this…" He stops suddenly when he notices several explosions coming from the back of the battleship. "What's going on?"

"I heard you needed some help…"

"SVEN!" Keith exclaims as he watches the Blue lion fire more proton missiles at the battleship then fly at them, "Your timing has never been better!"

The Norwegian cannot help the laugh that escapes him, "They forgot to watch their own back…"

Smiling, Keith orders, "Now! Everyone hit it!"

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Cossack screams as he watches his weapons center burst in a rainbow of sparks and smoke. He looks back at the monitor to see the lions systematically taking out his lasers.

"Sir, we can't take much more of this."

Gritting his teeth, Cossack grabs the bar in front of him to steady himself as the ship shudders from the missile impacts. Knowing what his reception will be when he returns to Doom, the general orders, "Retreat! Get us out of here!"

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"Hold it men…they're leaving!" Keith orders as he pulls the lion back and watches the heavily damaged battleship turning around and heading back into the atmosphere. He hears the moans of disappointment from his men but smiles at them, "We won this round, that's enough. Return the lions to their lairs and report back to the control room in Storm Kingdom."

He hears Sven clear his throat, "Not entirely sure how I will get back from the cavern in Water Kingdom, Keith…"

"I've got a similar problem Cap. I know Coran said they have a launch system, but he didn't say how it works or if we can use it to return," says Hunk in a sheepish voice.

Resisting the urge to laugh at his men, Keith asks, "Lance, can you ask Princess Maia to help us out this time?"

He hears a loud snort coming from the pilot of Red lion then in derision he replies, "Yeah, if she will bother to listen to me long enough to ask the question."

Rolling his eyes, Keith repeats his order, "Back to Storm Kingdom's compound."


	12. Chapter 12

The great "Sven" debate… Wade Wells questioned me on this when we were editing that chapter as well, so I guess I should have been prepared for this. But, ok, for those that have been asking questions and have read the Devil's Due comic, you may think that Sven, for whatever reason, will be shown as an "unworthy" pilot of Blue lion simply because he didn't face a trial like the rest of the Force. While I don't want to ruin the story for any of you by telling you what is going to happen, I want to try to explain that section. Remember in earlier chapters that Keith and the others were told that each king valued a different trait. And when they faced their trial, it would likely have something to do with that trait. Now, the king of Water Kingdom was the oldest of the kings. He had children, grandchildren and saw everything he had spent his life protecting destroyed by Doom. Now ask yourself, what would that king treasure above all else? When you can answer that question, you will know why he gave the key to Sven without forcing him to face a trial.

Just remember, I'm not following canon from the cartoons or the comics on this story. Now, onto the next chapter…

I make no claims to Voltron or any WEP characters.

Origins: A Legend Unfolds: Chapter 12

Taking the lion key out of the slot, Keith palms it as he climbs out of the lion. Jumping to the ground, he watches Pidge walking up to him with a smile on his face as he looks over the commander's attire, "Get caught with your pants down Cap?"

Glancing down at his swim trunks, Keith gives the younger man an evil look, "I had been in the hot pools when you called. Did you think I would take the time to go change first?"

Pidge laughs softly then asks, "Where are the pools?"

"I'll show you. I need to pick up my stuff anyway," Keith answers as he leads the way out of the lion cavern.

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Standing up from the command chair, Lance barely turns around when Maia appears next to him. He jumps at the unexpected arrival then growls, "Would you not sneak up on me like that?"

Arching a perfectly formed eyebrow at him, Maia asks, "What would you have me do, Lieutenant? Perhaps appear on top of the lion and knock?" As he narrows his eyes at her, she continues, "I do not have time for this. I need to get you back so I can return to my own duties."

"Your own duties…" Lance repeats in a snide voice. As she starts to grab for his arm, he pulls away, "Need help getting Hunk and Sven back as well." When she glares at him, he manages to even out his tone, "Please."

"I should leave you here to walk back," Maia states then grabs his arm before he can say anything else. They appear in the control room a moment later and the princess no more than releases his arm before disappearing again. Lance curses as he struggles to stand upright, his equilibrium thrown off with the transfer. He barely notices Princess Allura as she walks up to him to demand in an angry tone, "Where are the others?"

Regaining his balance, Lance stands upright as he retorts, "Didn't you notice my appearance? I have no idea where…"

"What's going on?"

Keith walks into the room dressed in his bathrobe with a smirking Pidge following him. Regaining his usual swagger, Lance arches an eyebrow at him as he taunts, "Isn't that outfit a bit casual for combat, Commander?"

Before Keith can reply, Maia appears with Sven then disappears again. The Norwegian bends over as he swallows hard, "Whoa…" His face is positively white as he stands up, "I don't know how she can do that without throwing up…"

"Commander!"

Cringing at her tone, Keith turns to find a furious looking Princess Allura walking up to him. He does not get to answer her when Maia reappears with Hunk. The big man wavers on his feet, but no one pays him any attention as Allura states, "You had no right to speak to me the way you did!"

"Princess…" Keith starts, trying to sound conciliatory, but is interrupted again as she snarls at him, "You will learn to speak to me with respect or by the Gods I will…"

"Enough!"

The group turns to find Coran walking into the room. His eyes move from the obviously furious princess to find the commander dressed only in a bathrobe. He arches an eyebrow at him as he asks, "What is the problem?"

As several people start to speak at once, he holds up his hand, "One at a time!"

"I was only trying to be helpful and the commander…" Allura throws him a dirty look, "He was not only rude, he basically told me to shut up."

Glaring at her, Keith's tone shows his growing fury as he retorts, "In a battle, _Princess_, there can be only one giving the commands. I will _not_ have you second guessing my decisions or endangering the lives of my men by trying to countermand me."

As Allura opens her mouth to berate him, Maia steps forward, "He is right Allura. In a battle, he has to be able to make decisions and know his men will follow his orders." She smiles regretfully at her, "I am sorry, but I would have told you to be quiet as well." She glances over at the commander to finish, "But in a more polite way."

Allura's lips thin as her anger erupts. She glances over to find her advisor refusing to meet her gaze, confirming that he was not going to take her side in the matter either. Turning back to the commander, the princess states, "You told me you wanted me to teach you about diplomacy and tact, Commander. Perhaps you should start with ways to get your point across without being an asshole." She pauses, a look of pure disdain on her face as she adds, "Or is that simply part of your natural personality?"

Finishing, she turns her back on him and walks out of the room. Keith watches her go then looks over to find his men hiding their smirks and Lance outright turning away from him as laughter erupts out of him. His eyes move over to Princess Maia, who simply nods to him then disappears, and finally stops on the advisor. He is also trying to hide a smirk behind his mustache as he takes a step forward to say, "I did not even know she knew that word…"

Resisting the urge to tell them all where to go, Keith starts for the door only to be stopped as a tall man walks in. Dr. Gorma glares at him as he states, "I thought I had given you an order Commander. I see that you did not follow it."

Keith opens his mouth to argue only for the doctor to override him, "Get to MedTech now! I will examine you to ensure you have not injured yourself further with your foolishness." When Keith only stands there, staring incredulously at the doctor, Gorma's voice rises as he demands, "NOW!"

Nodding stiffly, the commander walks past the doctor and out of the room. Lance erupts with laughter, "Poor Keith, he gets it first from the princess and now from the doctor!"

Sobering up, Sven sighs, "Don't laugh too hard. You know this will put him in a foul mood tomorrow. Who do you think he will take it out on?"

Lance's mirth instantly stops. He looks at the other two, who are also grimacing at the thought then he says, "I think I'm going to go to bed now. I really don't want to be around after the doctor releases him."

"Would you not like some dinner first?" the advisor asks as he tries to hide his own amusement. "It has been a long day and we have not eaten since breakfast."

At that, Hunk's stomach growls loudly and the big man rubs it, "Now that you mention it…"

The other three nod at the advisor in agreement and Coran smiles, "Go to the dining room. I will ensure the commander receives his dinner as well. We would not want him to be in a worse mood for the lack of it in the morning, I would wager?"

Shaking his head, Sven gestures to the others, "Let's go eat."

As they leave the room, Coran chuckles then takes his place in the command chair.

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Reaching her room, Allura slams her hand on the button to open the door then stomps inside. Grabbing the pillows off her bed, she throws them at the wall then slides down onto the floor beside the bed and stares up at her virtual window, which shows the setting sun. Tears leak out of her eyes and slide down her cheeks as she goes over the events in the control room in her mind.

"Allura?"

Turning around, she finds Maia standing in the middle of the room with a sympathetic smile on her face. The Fire Kingdom princess moves around the bed and sits next to Allura on the floor. She stares silently up at the virtual window as well for a moment then finally speaks, "I am sorry I could not take your side in there."

She turns her emerald gaze to Allura as she adds, "Some lessons come easy…some are more difficult. Do not think I have always made the right decisions. It is usually through mistakes that I learn the correct paths." Maia smiles at her then looks back at the virtual window and sighs, "I wish I had one of these. Days can go by sometimes before I get to see the sun."

Allura nods as she wipes the tears off her cheeks then she asks, "Why must he humiliate me?"

"The commander?" questions Maia as she turns her gaze back to her.

"Yes. That is the second time in as many days that he has treated me like that." She sniffles slightly then adds, "But there are other times he has gone out of his way to be kind. I do not understand it."

Maia sighs as she reaches over and places an arm around Allura's shoulders. As the younger woman rests her head against Maia's shoulder, she says, "Perhaps it is the strain of the situation he is in at the time. Not everyone reacts the same way to stress." A smile flits across the princess' face as she adds, "He has also been working injured. I have found most men to be like babies when they hurt. They act like a two year old and take it out on the people around them. Perhaps you were just in the wrong place at the wrong time?"

"Perhaps…" Allura grants as she sits upright again.

Sighing, Maia stands back up, "I had best return to Fire Kingdom. Today has been eventful to say the least." She looks back down at the other woman to say, "Early this morning, Coran asked me to help you learn your powers. I did not have time today to start with you, but will return in the morning sometime."

Smiling, Allura stands as well, "I would like that."

Nodding in reply, Maia returns the smile then disappears. Pushing herself up, Allura sits on her bed and continues to stare out of her virtual window while thinking over the events of the day and her reactions to the commander.

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Later that night, Sven sighs as he pulls the drawstrings tight on his pajama bottoms. Picking up a t-shirt, he pulls it over his head then starts for his bed. A knock at his door stops him and he changes directions. Opening the door, Sven eyes his visitor closely as he inquires, "What did the doctor say?"

Keith snorts in derision as he pushes his way into the room and pulls the chair away from Sven's desk to sit down on it. He rubs at his temples as the pounding begins to return in earnest and replies, "I am to be off duty all of tomorrow and if I fail to follow Gorma's orders, he will strap me down to a bed in MedTech." His eyes move over his second-in-command, who does not show a visual response to the news. Sighing, Keith rubs at his temples again then stops when he hears, "How bad is the headache?"

Looking over at his friend, the commander replies, "It wasn't bad before the battle but has gotten steadily worse since we returned."

"Go to bed Keith," commands Sven as he sits down on his bed. "Everything else can wait until morning."

Shaking his head, Keith retorts, "I can't give you orders in the morning. I'm to be off-duty…remember?"

Sven finally chuckles in response only to earn a glare. Gesturing with his hands, he says, "By all means then, order away."

Glowering at the other man, Keith finally states, "I won't be allowed in my lion, so we can't try to form Voltron. However, we need to better understand how the lions work. We got lucky today…"

"I know," Sven interjects, "Things weren't going well when I joined the fight."

"Speaking of…" stops the commander as a thought occurs to him, "What was your trial?"

"I didn't face one," Sven informs him. At the incredulous look on his commander's face, the Norwegian smiles, "I begged the being that was holding the key to let me pass so that I could help all of you in the battle. For whatever reason, it worked and it granted me the key."

At the continued look of surprise on Keith's face, Sven chuckles, "The others called me a few names for that during dinner when the subject came up. I guess Hunk was buried in sand at one point. He wasn't too happy that I got out of the trial altogether. Neither was Lance for that matter…"

Keith shakes his head ruefully then goes back to the original subject, "Back to the lions. I want you to find a place tomorrow where you and the others can work with the lions and not worry about destroying anything. We need to know the weapon systems and what each lion is capable of." His face hardens with determination as he finishes, "I doubt we will be that lucky again. When Doom returns, we won't have the element of surprise with the lions. They will be prepared for them."

All humor is gone from Sven's face as he replies, "I know…"

Nodding, Keith rises, "Regular drills in the morning, breakfast then out in the lions. Don't come back until you guys know everything there is to know about them. We don't need to be guessing in another battle what the buttons will do when we press them."

"Very well," Sven stands up, "How long are you to be off-duty?"

Releasing a sigh of irritation, Keith replies, "Until I no longer get headaches…which we can't afford. If Doom returns, I won't be sitting in my room while you guys are out fighting."

Placing a hand on his friend's shoulder, Sven states, "Then go to bed and rest through tomorrow. We need you in top form."

"Very well. Good night." Keith pulls away and walks out of the room.

Sven makes his way back to his bed and pulls back the blankets. Lying down, he reaches over to turn off the lights then sighs as he closes his eyes and attempts to fall asleep. An image of a young woman enters his mind, her long, blonde hair waving in the wind. Her sapphire blue eyes plead with him as she gestures him to come to her. Opening his eyes quickly, Sven looks around his dark room. Settling back against his pillow, he closes his eyes and this time, sleep finds him.


	13. Chapter 13

I make no claims to Voltron or any WEP characters.

Origins: A Legend Unfolds: Chapter 13

"COSSACK! YOU IDIOT!"

The Drule general manages not to move as a goblet of blood red wine lands in front of him and smashes, splashing him with its contents. Keeping his eyes low, he says, "I beg pardon, your Majesty. I was not expecting the lions."

Zarkon continues his pacing at the top of his throne. His gaze remains on the kneeling Drule in front of him as he moves back and forth. Turning, he walks back across the platform and his eyes finally move to the old witch. She sits in a corner in behind the throne, stroking her blue cat, Coba. Stopping near her, the king demands, "How is this possible?"

"I tried to tell you, sire. My spell only broke Voltron into pieces. It did not destroy the robot entirely." Haggar continues to stroke her blue cat, her eyes not rising to meet those of the king. When a growling sound escapes the monarch, she finally looks up. "Do not worry Zarkon. They cannot form Voltron."

"How do you know this witch?" he demands as he glares down at her.

She cackles as her cat hisses up at him, "A girl need not reveal all of her secrets."

"You have not been a girl in a millennia, old hag," Zarkon retorts. He turns back to find Cossack still kneeling at the bottom of the stairs. His eyes narrow on the man as he snarls, "I'm surrounded by idiots."

Cossack finally stands up, "My king, I know I can defeat the lions. I just need to bring a robeast…"

"You had your chance!" the king retorts then looks over at Haggar, "Where is Lotor? I told you to get him back here."

"When I spoke to him, he was still working on the details of the treaty with King…"

"Like hell he is!" Zarkon interrupts, "He is more interested in cavorting with that princess than completing his assignment. Tell him I want him back here now! He will lead the next attack on Planet Arus. I want those lions ground to dust and those Garrison soldiers dead!"

"Yes Zarkon," Haggar replies then goes back to petting her cat.

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Forcing his eyes open, Keith groans in pain then glances at the clock. Shutting his eyes immediately after, the thought that the others should already be out in the lions crosses his mind before he rolls back over and buries his head back into his pillow. He had spent the night going over the things that need to be done as the pounding in his head increased, unable to sleep soundly.

An hour later, he opens his eyes again then slowly sits up in the bed. Feeling nauseated, he rises and makes his way to the bathroom. After a ten-minute shower, he wanders slowly back into his bedroom with a towel wrapped around his waist. It takes him another ten minutes to dress then he leaves and makes his way down the hallway.

The overhead lights burn his eyes, causing more pain as he makes his way to the dining room. Nearing the doors, he spots the figure of the princess walking out of the room. Keith glances at her as he passes by, only to notice her staring straight ahead, completely ignoring him. Grimacing, he finishes walking into the dining room to find the advisor speaking to one of the servants. The older man nods to the woman then makes his way over to him, "You are a little late for breakfast, Commander."

Coran stops in front of him, his gaze probing. After noting that the commander had not bothered to shave or comb his hair and his shirt was buttoned up wrong, he adds, "You also look quite ill."

Ignoring him, Keith turns his attention to the servant to quietly ask, "Coffee and toast please."

The woman looks over at the advisor and receives a nod then turns around, making her way back into the kitchen. As Keith walks over to the table, Coran follows him and sits down beside him, "Perhaps you should go to MedTech."

"No…"

His eyebrows go up as Coran replies, "You are obviously not feeling well. I can tell your head is hurting by the paleness of your face and the squint in your eyes. The lights are hurting you, are they not?"

Refusing to answer, Keith accepts the plate with the toast on it from the servant as she re-enters the room. He takes a bite out of a slice as the advisor sighs then reaches over to pour the coffee for him, "Very well Commander. Eat your breakfast then for the love of the Gods, go rest. You are useless to us the way you are."

He stands up and walks out of the room. Keith glances over as he goes then stops the servant as she is about to depart, "Can you turn off most of the lights please?"

She nods to him and only leaves on one light at the end of the room then returns to the kitchen. Sighing as the throbbing in his head eases slightly with the darkened room, Keith continues to slowly eat his breakfast.

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Working in her office, Allura glances up when she hears the door open. Coran walks into the room then pauses when he spots her. Moving over to his own desk, he sits down in the chair then glances over at the princess, "I just saw the commander…"

"Oh?" she responds indifferently as she continues to write on the papers she is working on.

Coran smiles at her feigned disinterest as he says, "Yes, he has another fierce headache this morning and is trying not to admit it."

"Really? That is too bad," she replies as she sets the paper aside then looks over at her advisor to find him studying her closely. Irritated by it, she demands, "What?"

Shaking his head at her, Coran starts to reply then stops when there is a flash of light in the room and Princess Maia appears. She smiles at both of them then looks over at the princess, "Ready to begin your lessons?"

Rising quickly from her chair, Allura replies, "Yes," then leads Maia toward the door. She says, "We can use the gym," without letting Coran say anything as she opens it. The advisor watches them leave then sighs as he says, "Youth…"

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Walking into the gym, Maia glances around at the room then smiles at Allura. "This should work nicely. There is plenty of space to perform magic." She moves into the middle of the room then gestures to her, "Come forward. Today, we start with finding out how much you can do now and we will go from there."

Allura nods then moves toward her. They sit down together on the gym mats. Maia seems to be studying her closely then says, "What have you done so far? Coran mentioned something happened with the Doom soldiers…"

"I do not know what happened." Shuddering, Allura remembers the events of two nights before. The lascivious expression on the face of the Drule as he stared at her naked breasts enters her mind then she remembers the rage and fear that shot out of her and at him. Bending her knees and pulling them up to her chest so she can wrap her arms around them, the princess whispers, "It just happened…"

"Do not be scared, you were simply protecting yourself." Maia smiles softly at her as she leans over and pats her arm, "Magic will always come out in unexpected ways when one is in danger."

"But I just disappeared from MedTech that night. I was not in danger, only having a dream," explains Allura as she shakes her head at her distant cousin in confusion.

Maia nods then asks, "You were frightened by this dream, were you not?" At Allura's hesitant nod, she continues, "So you appeared to the one that makes you feel safe."

The image of the commander goes through her head but Allura pushes it away, "No…"

As if knowing where her thoughts went, Maia smiles at her. She shrugs a moment later, "The thing you need to do is learn how to control your magic, to channel it and use it at your command. Do not let it control you."

"But how?"

"Close your eyes." Maia waits until she has been obeyed then says quietly, "Feel your heart beating. Feel the blood moving through your veins. Magic is the same. Feel it flowing through you as you breathe in and out."

Allura sighs as she concentrates on the other woman's words. From deep within, she feels a tingling sensation moving through her body. Opening her eyes, she finds Maia watching her closely then smiling at her as she says, "You felt it."

"Yes, but what will I be able to do with it?" At the questioning look on Maia's face, she adds, "I know nothing of what I may be able to do with magic. Father rarely did any around me…"

Nodding in understanding, the Fire Kingdom princess answers, "You should be able to control the elements around you. As my father instructed me when I was young, you may never fully master some of them, but there will be at least one that comes more naturally to you than the others. For me…" she creates a fireball in her hand, "mastery of fire was exceptionally simple, once I learned to control it." The ball of fire extinguishes as she sighs, "Water on the other hand, I have almost no control over."

A small ball of water forms in her hand then swiftly falls to the floor in small water droplets. Shaking her head at it, Maia shrugs at Allura, "Perhaps if father had not died before finishing my training, I would have eventually mastered water as well."

"But how do you do it?" Allura asks, her gaze intense as she studies her cousin.

"I told you, you must pool the magic inside of you and release it." Gesturing around them, Maia adds, "Water, you can pull from the moisture in the air. Earth, from all the sand and dirt around you. Wind can be very difficult to command. It is easier to pull on when out of doors than in." She puts her hands together and lightning crackles between them. "Lightning you pull from the energy around you…"

Nodding, Allura asks, "And fire?"

A bright smile comes from Maia, "I do not know how others are able to conjure it. I have found that my fire comes from within." Her fingertips light up with fire again and dance around her hands as she moves them around. They once again extinguish and Maia smiles at her, "You know about the ability to disappear and reappear. But that has limitations."

Allura nods at her then asks, "What else?"

Silence falls between them for a moment until Maia says, "That is all. The source of our magic comes from Arus itself. We only can control the elements. We cannot move things with our minds or control other people's thoughts. Those are story book magical abilities."

"But if we only control the elements, how can we disappear and reappear?" asks Allura, slightly confused.

Maia smiles at her, "You are moving with the lightning…one flash takes you there."

She nods in contemplation then another thought strikes her, "What of visions?"

A deep sigh escapes Maia as the memory of the vision that has been visiting her lately comes to mind with the question. Trying to dismiss Lance from her mind, she replies, "Of visions I know nothing. Only that they come when they come. You cannot control them." She shrugs, "Some royals live their entire lives and never have a vision."

"Very well…"

Maia smiles at the disappointed sound to her cousin's voice. "Let us get back to your training."

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Making his way out of the dining room, Keith avoids the regard of others as he slowly makes his way back to his room. Sitting down on the bed, he holds his head between his hands as he wills the pain away. The tightness of the muscles in his neck and back pain him as he finally lies back on the bed. Closing his eyes against the pain in his head, he tries to clear his mind in order to go back to sleep, but finds it impossible. Twenty minutes later, Keith rises again. The thought of how the hot springs helped the day before goes through his mind and he makes his way to the bathroom where he left his swimming trunks the night before.

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Sighing in disappointment, Allura watches the small water bubble in her hand disappear for the sixth time before fully forming. She looks up when laughter erupts out of Maia and she says, "Perhaps you will have as much luck with water as I do."

Sitting back on the gym mat, Allura groans, "This is hopeless…"

Maia becomes serious, "It is not. It is simply a matter of time and practice. You cannot expect to become a master of an element in a single morning."

Still feeling a bit unhappy, Allura asks, "How long did it take you to form a full fireball?"

"Once my father started training me, a full month." At the incredulous look on Allura's face, she adds, "I could manage little puffs of fire, similar to what you are doing with the water, but could not make the fire stay for the longest time." An irritated look crosses her expression as she mutters, "Of course my brother had it mastered within a week and rubbed it in every chance he got."

"So how did you finally manage it?"

An impish look crosses the princess' face as she replies, "My brother helped me, actually. He made me so angry with his taunting, that one day, in a fit of anger, I threw a fireball at him. It just came to me with barely a thought past wanting to wipe that superior look off his face."

Allura starts giggling as she asks, "What did your father do?"

"Oh, he was not happy with me." The smile is gone off of the Fire Kingdom princess' face as she adds, "I could barely sit down for two days after the punishment he gave me for that." She shrugs as she says, "That was the first time my father spoke to me of responsibility in regards to magic. I was not to use it against people that simply angered me. I have never done it since," her expression changes again to an irritated one as she finishes, "though Lieutenant McClain came close when he was in Fire Kingdom to attain the key for Red lion."

When she stays silent, her mind seemingly elsewhere, Allura smiles at her, "Are you still thinking of Lance?"

"_What_?" Maia explodes then shakes her head even as her face turns as red as her hair, "He is egotistical…arrogant…" She sputters to find the proper words to describe him as Allura bursts out laughing, "You were still thinking of him."

The memory of the kiss they shared and the dream she had that same night floats through her mind and Maia quickly stands, "I need to return to Fire Kingdom."

As the smile slips off Allura's face, she stands as well, "I am sorry. I should not have teased you about it."

Maia's expression softens as she reaches out to touch Allura's arm, "It is all right. Lance McClain is the only man I have ever met that makes me want to murder him on a regular basis." The memory of the kiss goes through her head once more and she forces it away even as her body reacts to it. Shrugging, she adds, "We will continue your lessons tomorrow morning."

Noticing the heightened color still spreading across her cousin's face, Allura nods, "Very well. I will see you tomorrow then."

Waving her hand in farewell, Maia disappears with a flash. Allura sighs as she starts to make her way out of the gym. Feeling tense from the training, she sighs as she thinks, _'I will go down to the pools…the heated water will make me feel better.'_ Decision made, she relaxes slightly and makes her way to her room.

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Holding a hand to his throbbing temples, Keith slowly makes his way down to the tunnel. He keeps his gaze down as he goes, refusing to make eye contact with anyone, less one of them tries to stop him. Reaching the staircase that leads to the lower level and eventually the lion cavern, he takes the steps one at a time until he reaches the bottom. Concentrating hard on his destination, Keith makes his way to the cave with the hot pools.

Walking into the room, the commander slips off his robe then slides into the nearest pool. The heat of the water slides up his body as he lowers himself into it, and Keith sighs in satisfaction. He settles on one of the shelves in the rock wall and places his head in the groove he used the day before. Taking a deep breath, he slowly releases it and tries to relax.

His eyes open again a moment later when he hears the footfalls of someone entering. Looking up, he finds the Princess of Arus walking into the cavern. She glances at him, her gaze imperious, then she drops the robe she has on and enters the pool across from his. Keith feels himself begin to harden at the sight of her lithe, naked body before it disappears into the water. Grimacing, he forces his eyes shut as he listens to her moving around. Every muscle in his body is taut as he continues to listen to the splashes of the water and her occasional murmur of content.

Twenty minutes later, Allura rises from the water. Despite her anger with the commander, her concern heightens when she glances over at him after picking up her towel. Sitting in the water stiffly, his face is white and his lips pinched in pain. Quickly wiping off the excess water, the princess picks up her robe and wraps it around herself as she nears the other pool, "Commander, are you all right?"

When he opens his eyes, she can see the pain in them as he quietly replies, "Yes," then closes his eyes again. Allura rounds the pool so she is staring straight down at him. "Bullshit."

Keith's eyes open again, this time from shock at her language. As he rises out of the water, she retorts, "I can see you are not all right. The pain is visible in your eyes." Her eyes drop curiously down to the shorts he is wearing then back up to his face to demand, "You need to go back to Dr. Gorma."

"No," Keith states as he climbs out of the pool. The look on his face is one of panic as he rounds on her, "He will keep me there. I can't…if Doom attacks…" He stops rambling as he closes his eyes again and places a hand on his temples as if to soothe the pain in his head.

Allura stares up at him for a moment then makes a decision. She takes a step toward him and places a hand against his whisker-laden cheek. He opens his eyes to look down at her as she says, "Come with me, I know of someone who can help." Her hand moves from his cheek to take his hand. She pulls on it as she says, "Come…"

She leads him out of the cave and then back into the compound. Allura stops and whispers to him, "Go to your room and change into pants, but leave your shirt off. I will find my friend Luella and bring her to you." She turns and walks away from him before he can reply or ask any questions. Keith watches her for a moment then continues down the hallway, slowly making his way back to his room.

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Ten minutes later, Allura leads a short, curvaceous woman with bright red hair and brown eyes toward the commander's bedroom. She keeps her voice low as she says, "I know you can help him."

Luella nods at the princess as she replies, "Yes, yes…but if he refuses to let me…"

"He will not."

The other woman smiles at Allura's determination then they stop in front of a door and the princess knocks. They hear a faint voice asking them to enter and Allura presses the button to open the door. Walking into the room, Luella pauses when she finds the commander sitting on his bed wearing only pajama bottoms. The pain is visible in his eyes as he looks from her to the princess to ask, "What is she going to do?"

Luella takes a step forward and holds out a cup to him, "Drink this then lay on your stomach on the bed." When the commander looks at the cup with suspicion, she smiles at him, "It will do no more than relax you." He nods at her then takes the cup and drinks it down. He makes a face at the taste as he hands the cup back then lies on his stomach on the mattress as requested.

Looking behind her, Luella takes a bottle the princess is holding then sits down on the bed beside the commander. She pours a small amount of oil from the bottle onto her hands then rubs them together before placing them on the commander's neck and starts working it in.

Keith cannot help the groan that escapes him as he feels her hands digging into the muscles of his neck and shoulders. He turns his head slightly to look off to the side to find the princess moving a chair closer to him and sitting down on it while crossing her legs. The view of her perfectly shaped calf, visible outside of her robe, causes a bit of discomfort in another area of his body and Keith closes his eyes.

Sitting quietly as Luella continues to work on the commander, Allura watches his face and notices when it slowly relaxes, the crease marks of pain decreasing until she can tell when he finally slumbers. Her eyes move to the other woman as she whispers, "He is asleep."

"Good. It is no wonder he was in pain. His muscles are so tight that I can barely manipulate them," Luella whispers back as she continues to work on the commander.

Allura nods then looks over his body, taking note of the well-built muscles on his back and arms before she looks back into his face once more. She jumps when she hears Luella say, "He is a handsome one…I will give you that."

Looking back up at the other woman with irritation, Allura retorts, "Yes, when he is not being a jerk to me."

A sly look crosses Luella's face as she replies, "Perhaps you just need to smile at him a bit more." As the princess gives her a disgusted look, Luella laughs, "It is true… If you are a bit nicer to him and make him smile back at you, perhaps you will get along with him a little easier."

An unladylike snort escapes Allura as she settles back in her chair. However, her eyes move over the commander's strong form again in appreciation. She sucks in a short breath as she feels her nipples suddenly harden and a tingling sensation begins between her legs. Shifting uncomfortably in her chair, Allura crosses her arms over her chest then asks, "How much longer?"

Luella smiles back at her, a knowing look in her eyes, "Soon, his muscles are finally loosening so when he wakes, the headache should be gone."

"Good," Allura replies simply then forces her gaze off the commander and onto the floor. Quiet laughter erupts out of Luella as she finishes working out the knots in the commander's neck and shoulders.


	14. Chapter 14

I make no claims to Voltron or any WEP characters.

Origins: A Legend Unfolds: Chapter 14

Having changed into her standard pantsuit, Allura makes her way to her office and finds her advisor already seated at the desk. Sitting down on the chair in front, she says, "Coran, I wish to know more about these men from Garrison." Her expression is stony as she adds, "Especially of the commander."

Arching an eyebrow at her, Coran sits back in the chair and steeples his fingers together, "What do you wish to know?"

"Who he is, where he is from, and how he grew up. I want to know as much as possible about the man that is now directly in charge of our defense," she pauses then adds, "and our lions."

Nodding, Coran responds, "I will try to contact Galaxy Garrison and request all of their backgrounds. Hopefully, the solar storm that has been disrupting our communications will have passed."

Allura rises, "Very well, have the other men returned yet?"

Shaking his head, the advisor informs her, "Not yet, as of the last update I had, they were still working with the lions out in the Vide Desert."

"Very well, I am going to the control room. Please notify me after you have contacted Garrison."

Coran sighs as she walks out of the room. Reaching for his monitor, he starts pressing buttons on the screen. When a young man dressed in a Garrison uniform appears, the advisor smiles, "I wish to speak with Admiral Graham please."

"Whom may I say is calling?"

"Coran Montrane, advisor to her Royal Highness, Princess Allura of Storm Kingdom on Planet Arus."

"Very well, one moment."

Sitting back in his chair, Coran waits for the man who can give him the answers the princess seeks.

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His eyes flutter open as Keith yawns while waking up three hours later. Turning over in the bed, he smiles as he reaches up to touch his temples. Feeling not an ounce of pain for the first time since arriving on Arus, he rises from the bed and makes his way to the bathroom. Thirty minutes later, shaved, hair combed back and fully dress, Keith leaves his room and makes his way to the dining room in time for dinner.

He pauses in the corridor outside the dining room and once again studies the portrait of King Alfor and his wife. Noticing the likenesses between the couple and their surviving daughter, he turns and finishes walking into the dining room.

"Hey, you must be feeling better."

Glancing over to the direction the statement came from, he finds Sven moving away from Coran and Lance to walk over to him. Nodding in reply, Keith's eyes move around the roomful of people until he finds the person he is looking for.

"So no headache?"

Turning back to his friend, the commander smiles as he replies, "No, I took a long nap this afternoon and that seemed to cure it."

"I'm glad my friend," Sven responds then notices the commander looking over at the princess. Clearing his throat, he states, "Don't let me keep you…" then walks away from him.

Keith glances at him as he walks away then turns back to his quarry. Walking over to the princess as she stands near a table pouring herself a glass of water, he whispers, "Thank you."

Surprised, Allura looks up to find the commander smiling down at her. She notes that with his face relaxed and smiling, he is even more handsome. She feels a flutter in her stomach when he bends closer to whisper into her ear, "I don't know what I would have done without you and your friend helping me out."

He steps back and Allura takes a deep breath of relief and silently releases it so he will not hear her. Putting a smile on her face, she glances up at him as she quietly replies, "You are welcome." Stepping away from the side table, the princess walks over to the table and sits down only to find Keith sitting down next to her. His expression is rueful as he says, "I also owe you an apology. You were right, I shouldn't have spoken to you the way I did while we were in the lions."

Releasing a sigh, Keith glances over to find the others still in deep conversation on the other side of the room. Looking back over at the princess to find her studying him, he smiles again, "Why do I feel that, for the duration of my stay, I will find myself apologizing to you constantly?"

Allura's gaze turns thoughtful as she replies, "Perhaps because we seem very good at irritating each other." She shrugs at him, "Maybe our personalities are simply incompatible." When he does not speak, she looks back to find his dark eyes probing her closely. He finally shakes his head at her, "I don't think we are incompatible…" a rueful smile once again slips across his face, "perhaps we are simply both stubborn asses and neither of us likes other people giving us orders."

Unable to help herself, Allura starts laughing. Her hand drifts over to lie on top of his as she states, "That could very well be true…"

Keith's eyes drift down to the hand lying on top of his and he feels a jolt of longing go through him. Looking back up into her eyes, he finds the smile sliding off her face as she starts to pull her hand away from him. Moving without thinking about it, Keith takes her hand between his. Realizing what he had done, he smiles quickly and says, "I promise to try and be more diplomatic when asking you to be quiet."

He watches her smile at him once more, this one not quite reaching her eyes. The princess pulls her hand away and nods to him as she replies, "I will try to listen to you more so you can teach me about strategy."

Across the room, Sven watches his friend talking to the princess. He smiles when she breaks out in laughter then his eyebrows go up when Keith takes her hand. Narrowing his eyes slightly in concentration, he pays attention to the looks they are giving each other before Allura pulls away from him then picks up her glass of water to drink from it, effectively ending the conversation.

"What are you watching so intently?"

Startled, Sven looks over to find Lance arching an eyebrow at him, "I asked you a question and you didn't even hear it."

Shrugging, the Norwegian walks away from him and moves over to the table. Sitting down next to Keith, he waits until the others have sat down as well and the princess begins speaking with her advisor then whispers out of the corner of his mouth, "Easy my friend…"

When the commander looks over at him in askance, Sven tells him, "Do not wear your heart on your sleeve."

Irritated, Keith turns to him and furiously whispers back, "What the hell do you mean by that?"

Sven glances around to make sure everyone else is busy with their own conversations then quietly replies, "She's vivacious, beautiful and intelligent…everything that is attractive to you in a woman. I know you too well my friend. Just be careful."

Refusing to answer him, Keith turns away and picks up his napkin instead. He places it on his lap as the servants come in and begin serving them. Using his fork, he begins picking at his food then finds himself looking sideways at the princess. She is talking animatedly to Coran and Lance and ignoring him completely. Feeling his earlier good mood diminishing, Keith turns back to his plate and begins to eat, ignoring everyone around him.

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As she eats her dinner, Allura can feel the change of attitude in the man sitting next to her. Sighing as she thinks, _'Now what is going on with him?'_ she turns toward Keith to ask, "Is something wrong?"

"No Princess, everything is fine," he replies shortly then takes a bite of his dinner as if dismissing her.

Getting tired of his fluid moods, Allura retorts, "Then stop acting like you are going to bite off the head of anyone that asks you a question and relax before you give yourself another headache!"

Keith sighs deeply then glances over at her. She arches an eyebrow at him and he feels his irritation waning under her regard. Nodding to her, he says, "Sorry…"

"Do not be sorry, just relax," the princess orders then goes back to her dinner.

Shaking his head, Keith looks across the table to find Lance giving him a knowing smile before he turns away to speak with Coran again. Picking up his fork once more, the commander turns his attention back to Sven, "How did the practice go?"

The lieutenant-commander smiles at him then wipes his mouth with his napkin, "Now you ask? I thought you would be grilling me the moment you walked into the dining room."

Refusing to admit that his mind had been on the princess and he had not even thought of the lions, Keith retorts, "I'm asking now…how did it go?"

"Well, some of the weapon systems are standard on the lions, missiles, shooting claws, ion knives. However, there are some weapon systems that apply only to a specific lion. We found that each lion could fire the natural element of its background. Like my lion, water can pour out of its mouth. Pidge can send a windstorm at missiles, throwing them off course. You get the idea…"

Keith nods to him and listens as Sven continues to give him the run down. At the end of it, the Norwegian sighs as he states, "Of course we don't know exactly what Black lion is capable of…"

"Or how the weapon systems change when Voltron is formed," Keith finishes for him. Looking down at his plate to find he had finished his dinner absentmindedly as Sven has spoken, he puts his fork down. His gaze moves around the table again to find Hunk and Pidge deep in discussion and Lance now flirting with the pretty servant that is picking up his empty plate. Shaking his head, he looks back at his second-in-command, "I'm taking Black lion out in the morning to learn the systems on him. After lunch, we will try to form Voltron."

Nodding, Sven states, "Pidge and Hunk did go into Black lion before dinner and mapped out the controls. There are obviously several more controls in that lion than in the rest. Guessing those pertain to Voltron. They can give you the map of the ones we know so you won't spend all of your time guessing…"

"Thanks." Pushing back his chair, he smiles as the members of his team suddenly look his way, "I'm going to work on an update for Garrison then get to bed. See you in the morning for drills." They grumble slightly at him as he rises. He meets the princess' gaze as he says, "Good night," then turns around and walks out of the room.

Allura watches him go then turns back to find her advisor giving her a probing look. Irritated with it, she rises as well, "I also should go get some work done…"

"Those files you asked for earlier are on your desk," interjects Coran while sitting back in his chair.

She thanks him then says good night to the others before leaving the room. As she walks down the hallway, Allura's mind is on the commander while thinking, _'How he can make me smile one moment then want to strangle him the next?'_

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Reading through his report, Keith sighs as he makes notes of things he still needs to check on. Three days, they had only been there for three days, yet it felt like a month or more with everything that had been happening. Picking up his list of questions, the commander glances through them then rises. Walking out of his room, he stops a guard walking past in the hall to inquire where he may find the advisor.

"He may be in the office he shares with the princess."

"Thanks…" replies Keith then continues down the hallway. Reaching his destination, he knocks on the door then walks into the office when bidden to find Allura sitting behind the desk. Managing a smile of greeting, he walks across the room, "I was told I might find Coran in here."

Looking up from the file in her hands, Allura replies, "No, I am not sure where he went after dinner."

Keith nods then notices his name on the file in the princess' hands. Arching his eyebrows as he bends over the desk more to look at it, he asks, "What's that?"

His eyes fly to the princess' face to find her cheeks reddening as she closes the file and places it upside down on the desk, "Your file from Galaxy Garrison."

"My file…"

Allura finally looks up to meet his gaze, "I asked Coran to retrieve information on you and the others." She notices his face turning red and his eyes narrowing in anger, "I have every right to know more about the men in charge of my kingdom's defenses."

"Yes, you do," Keith spits out in a biting tone then adds, "But did it ever occur to you to simply ask me more about myself?" When she looks away from him, he snarls, "No…I didn't think so.

Feeling her cheeks reddening even more, the princess glares back at him as she retorts, "Would you have been willing to tell me?"

Standing upright, Keith stares down at her, his tone frosty as he says, "You will never know…will you, _Princess_?" then turns around and walks out of the room.

Closing her eyes as she blows air out of her mouth, Allura leans forward and places her head on her crossed arms on the desk.

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Sitting at the desk in his room, Keith stares at the report he started after dinner but does not see the words. Instead, his anger with the princess keeps coming to the forefront of his mind. Swearing, he shoves the data-pad away from himself and sits back in the chair. Running his hands through his hair, Keith stops when he hears a knock at the door.

Standing, he moves over to open the door then steps back as the princess stands in front of him, looking a little nervous, "May I come in?"

Managing a nod, Keith moves back into the room and watches as she glances around then takes his seat at the desk. Noticing the file folder in her hand, he stiffens slightly and makes his way over to his bed. Sitting down, he looks back over at her, "What do you want, Princess?"

She holds up the file and says, "You were right, I should have just asked you. I am sorry."

Keith nods in acceptance of the apology then sighs as he stands, "I shouldn't have blown up at you like that. You had every right to ask for our files. I'm tired, things haven't been going right on this mission and I know I overreacted. But if that's all you have to say, it is late and I should get to bed…"

"But it is not all…"

Surprised, he looks back down at her, "What…"

"I want to know more," Allura states as she holds the folder out toward him. "All this has is date of birth, height, weight…" She opens it up again, "Born in New York City, New York, USA but notes you were raised in Japan by your uncle." Her gaze is intense as she looks back at him, "What happened to your parents?"

Sighing as his anger drains away, Keith sits back down on his bed and stares at her for a moment. His tone is quiet as he asks, "How much do you really want to know?"

"Everything." When he arches an eyebrow at her, Allura shrugs, "Well, everything you will tell me." Sitting forward, she pleads with him, "I need to understand who you are in order to trust you with the security of Storm Kingdom. Please…"

Nodding in understanding, Keith gestures to the file, "May I see it?"

Standing, Allura walks over to the bed and hands him his file. She sits back down and watches as Keith quickly scans the contents then throws it down next to him on the bed, "There really isn't much in there…" He looks back over at the princess and says, "My parents were killed in a car accident when I was four years old."

At her confused look, he informs her, "Cars are mechanical vehicles that we use on Earth to get around."

She nods then says, "Must have been horrible for you."

Keith shrugs, "I don't remember too much from that time, or them really. Since I had no living relatives in the US anymore, I was sent to Japan to live with my dad's brother." He finally smiles, "Uncle Tyler is a commander for the US military and is stationed in Japan. He was a bit hard at times, but he raised me as his own son. I went to everything his children did, the same schools, the same Martial Arts classes, everything."

"What is Martial Arts?" Allura asks, once again looking confused.

"A way of fighting, where your body becomes a weapon. Though, I also learned how to fight with various types of weapons as well." He gestures with his hands as he states, "When I turned seventeen, and wanted to join the Space Academy, he backed my decision."

Nodding, Allura points to the folder again, "It said in there that your last commander had recommended you be promoted to commander." Standing up, she moves to sit next to him on the bed as she picks up the file again and reads from the recommendation, "Lieutenant-Commander Kogane has all the skills necessary to be an effective leader. He is highly skilled in defensive and battle strategy. He stays calm in pressure situations and is a creative problem solver." At Keith's sigh, she looks up again, "So is this your first mission as a commander?"

"I can do the job if that is what you are worried about," his tone comes out a bit stiff once more as his face reddens in embarrassment.

Allura smiles softly at him, "I have seen what you are capable of Commander. I was simply curious." Her eyes go back to the file and her eyebrows move together as she asks, "It mentions that on your last mission you were awarded a medal of valor, but not what you did to earn it. This also mentions that several men were killed, including your commander." She looks back at him, "What happened on that last mission?"

His eyes glaze over slightly as Keith looks down at the floor. At first Allura does not think he will answer her when suddenly he speaks quietly. "We were sent to Planet Shukra in the Bode's Galaxy to help them with Drule attacks. Commander Smith split our group in half and ordered me to stay with the group that was to remain back at camp. We were to keep the camp secure while he took the others on a scouting mission. When they had been gone two hours longer than they should have, we went after them." He stops speaking for a moment then looks over at her, his eyes slightly red, "When we found them, they were all dead. They had been attacked by a Drule patrol and they slaughtered them like animals."

Holding his gaze, Allura quietly asks, "What did you do?"

His eyes harden as he growls out, "Hunted every one of those bastards down and killed them."

Shocked, Allura gasps loudly at the suddenly ferocious looking man in front of her. His expression softens a moment later and he turns away from her, "Sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you."

Shaking her head, Allura places a hand on his arm, "No, you did not…but…were you not injured as well?"

Keith nods then says, "But it was worth it to avenge our friends and teammates. The things that were done to them…" he stops then stands up and moves away from her.

Watching him, Allura notices the stiffness in his body slowly decrease then he sits down on the chair by the desk. He stares at her for a moment then asks, "Anything else you would like to know?"

Sighing, she shrugs indifferently as she inquires, "Do you have a significant other? The file only lists you as single…"

As she hoped for, Allura watches a smile slowly creep across his face and his eyes shine with humor as he inquires, "Why are you interested in that?"

Shrugging again and trying to appear nonchalant about the subject while looking back down at the file, the princess replies, "Just curious if you manage to have relationships despite your travels."

His eyes have a far too knowing look to them when she glances back as he answers, "Not currently, no. It is too difficult to have a girlfriend or wife when I am gone from Earth for months at a time. The locations we are sent to are always far too dangerous to bring someone like that along. It wouldn't be fair to leave her alone like that."

Nodding, Allura looks back at the folder and quietly asks, "But you have had one before?"

"Yes Princess, I'm not a monk."

Allura looks back at him in question, "A monk?"

He bursts out laughing then stands back up, "I think we need to be done, your Highness."

"But what is a monk?" she asks as Keith takes her hand to help her up and walks her over to the door. They stop beside it and Allura looks up into his eyes to find them still full of humor. He presses the button to open the door then says, "A monk is a holy man on Earth who lives by a vow of chastity." He guides her out of the door as her eyes widen slightly and her cheeks redden as she says, "Oh…"

Unable to help the laughter that bursts out of him, he says, "Good night Princess," then closes the door. With a smile still on his face, he moves across the room and starts getting ready for bed.


	15. Chapter 15

Hmm…for the first couple of years I was posting stories, I didn't allow anonymous reviews for one reason, you can't answer the reviewer. RossoDiSera, I don't want to get into an online/public debate over Keith's personality. So if you want to talk about my interpretations of him, please PM me from a fanfiction account. I respect everyone's opinion that reviews, I just don't always agree with them. ;) Thanks!

Thanks to all reviewers! I'm glad so many are enjoying the story.

I make no claims to Voltron or any WEP characters.

Origins: A Legend Unfolds: Chapter 15

Awakening the next morning, Keith rises and makes his way to the bathroom. Twenty minutes later, he is walking out of his room and down the hallway toward the gym. Entering the room, he finds only Sven awaiting him. "Where are the others?"

Sven stands up from his stretch and glances at the clock before replying, "Along shortly I am sure. We are a bit early." His eyes move over his friend, taking in his healthy pallor and eyes. Smiling, he says, "I take it there is no headache today?"

"No, I'm good."

"I'm glad to hear that," Sven says as he goes back to his stretching, "You can be an asshole when you aren't feeling well."

A smile twitches on his lips as Keith replies, "I know." He turns his attention to the door as the voices of the others carry through it just before they appear. Smiling at them, he says, "Morning gentlemen, let's get moving."

Lance swears at the look on his commander's face, "Shit, he's feeling better…that means he will run our asses off."

A chuckle escapes Pidge as he states, "Well, at least he looks like he's finally in a better mood."

Sighing, Hunk gestures to them, "Let's get going so he stays in his good mood."

Resigned to their fate, they walk across the gym then follow their commander in their morning run.

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Two hours later, Allura stifles a yawn as she makes her way into the dining room to find it empty except for her advisor. Coran smiles at her in greeting as he pours a cup of tea for her, "Good morning, your Highness."

The princess smiles at him then notes the empty chairs, "Where are the others?"

"The commander is out in the Black lion, with Hunk and Pidge in their lions. They are mapping out the control panels. Lance is manning the command chair in the control room." He informs her then lifts his own cup of tea for a sip.

"Where is Sven?" Allura asks as she accepts her plate from the servant.

"I am not entirely sure actually." A confused look crosses the advisor's face then he shrugs. "I am sure he is busy with something."

There is a flash in the room and Maia appears, "Good morning."

Coran quickly stands, "Princess Maia, have you broken your morning fast yet?"

"Yes, I have, but thank you for asking." Her eyes fall on Allura as she picks up her teacup again to try to swallow down the bite of breakfast she took before Maia arrived. Smiling at her, she asks, "Running a little behind this morning?"

Allura swallows hard against the food in her mouth then replies, "Yes, I overslept a bit. We can go though." She starts to stand up only to have Maia wave her back down.

Taking a seat next to her, she says, "Go ahead and eat. I can enjoy a cup of tea while I wait."

"Well, I have work to do and I am sure you ladies will enjoy your conversation more without this old man listening in," states Coran as he rises from his seat. He smiles at them then walks out of the room.

Shaking her head at him, Maia turns back to Allura, "So why did you oversleep? Were you working late?"

Allura reddens slightly then says, "Well, I had Coran get the backgrounds for the commander and others from Galaxy Garrison." She fills in her cousin on the argument she had with the commander then how she went to his room after to apologize and ask for more information. She pauses then says, "His file only listed him as single…so I asked him about his current status."

"He told you then?" asks Maia, a bit surprised as she picks up a croissant from a basket in front of them and starts pulling it apart.

"Yes…" the princess reddens slightly as she states, "he was straightforward about it. He does not have a significant other at this time."

Maia smiles knowingly at her, "You like him…admit it."

Feeling the heat in her cheeks flowing, Allura tries to shrug the comment away, "He is argumentative and moody…"

"And handsome when he smiles…" Maia interjects then takes a bite of her croissant. She tries not to laugh at the expression that statement puts on Allura's face as she chews the croissant then swallows it. After taking a sip of her tea to wash it down, the Fire Kingdom princess says, "Finish your breakfast Allura. We can talk about men and their irritations later."

Sighing, Allura turns her attention back to her own breakfast and starts eating. She finishes a few minutes later then stands, "Shall we go back to the gym?"

Nodding, Maia rises and follows her out of the room.

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Flipping the buttons on the control panel, Lance watches on the video monitor as the Black lion flies by with Yellow and Green lions following it. Bored with it, he flips to the interior screens. After checking the lion's cavern and several hallways, he stops on the camera in the gym. His eyes widen when he notices the two women sitting on the mat in the middle of the room together. "What are they doing?"

His eyes stay focused on the screen and he jumps when he feels a hand on his shoulder a moment later. Quickly turning around in the chair, Lance glares at a smiling Sven, "Don't do that…damn it!"

Chuckling, Sven glances down at the monitor, "Who are you watching?"

"No one…" replies Lance as he flips the button to turn the camera off. When he looks back, it is to find Sven's probing gaze staring into him. Irritated, he stands up, "Since you are here…I need to go do something."

"Would that something have anything to do with Princess Maia?" the Norwegian asks in a nonchalant tone.

"Even if it did, it isn't any of your business," snorts Lance as he moves past the other man. As he leaves the dais and starts for the door, he can hear Sven's quiet laughter reaching him. Quickening his pace, Lance mutters, "Smug bastard…" as he makes his way out of the door.

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A smile slowly slips across Maia's lips as she watches Allura form a small water bubble then hold her hand out to show it to her. Nodding, she says, "Very good, already better than yesterday."

Allura returns the smile then it disappears as the bubble pops. She scowls at her hand as she says, "Damn it."

"My…such language…"

Reddening, Allura turns to face her cousin only to find her holding back laughter. Maia lets it loose at the look on her cousin's face then says around the laughter, "If I were scolded every time I swore, I would be scolded constantly."

Allura shakes her head at her then sighs, "I did not think to ask yesterday. Why was water the first element to appear for me?"

"What were you thinking of when you conjured it?"

Shaken, Allura shrugs then murmurs, "My mother."

Smiling sadly, Maia asks, "She was from the Water Kingdom, was she not?"

"Yes," whispers Allura as if lost in her memories once more.

"You are primarily a child of two kingdoms, Allura," explains Maia, regaining the other princess' attention. "Your natural element could be either water or lightning. Since water was the first to appear, I would guess that to be it."

Allura nods in understanding then asks, "What kingdom did your mother come from?" She notices a slightly teary look entering Maia's eyes as she replies, "My mother was a third cousin to King Harold of Wind Kingdom." She manages a watery smile, "I miss her." Maia clears her throat then wipes at her cheeks, "We should get back to your training."

Forcing her attention away from the sad memories of her mother, Allura briefly thinks of her father as she puts her hands close together. A bolt of lightning rips from one hand to the other, causing her to gasp and throw her hands out wide. The lightning leaves her and strikes a wall across from them.

Maia arches an eyebrow at her then looks over at the scorch mark on the wall, "Perhaps your natural element is lightning after all."

"What the hell is going on in here?"

Both women look toward the door as Lance walks into the room, his eyes wide at the new mark on the wall. As he gets closer, he turns his gaze to Maia, "I thought you were supposed to be teaching her how to control her magic?"

Her eyes narrow dangerously as Maia retorts, "What would you know about magical training, Lieutenant McClain? Besides the garbage I am sure you read in fairy tales?"

Refusing to rise to the bait, Lance shrugs then puts his hands in his pockets, "I never read any fairy tales as a kid…"

"No?" questions Maia in a mocking voice as she puts her hands on her hips.

Allura looks from one to the other as Lance's face turns red and his tone turns angry, "No. Orphanages on Earth don't read kids fairy tales. They don't want us to get some fool idea that our parents will come back for us or that happy endings are possible." He glares at both women once more then turns back around and quickly leaves the room.

Turning her attention back to her cousin, Allura's ears turn pink at the swear word leaving Maia's mouth before she starts to race after him, "Lance…wait!"

Running out of the gym, Maia catches up to him in the hallway, "Look, I am sorry." He turns back to look at her, his face inscrutable as she adds, "I did not know you had such a rough childhood."

Lance shrugs then looks away from her, "Your childhood wasn't exactly easy either."

"No," agrees Maia as she studies him closely, "But I had ten years with my family at least." She takes a step closer to him as she whispers, "I know happy endings do exist."

She smiles as he looks back into her eyes and she reiterates, "They do." He simply nods at her then looks away to ask, "How?"

"You are here, are you not?" Maia reaches for his chin and forces Lance to look at her, "The lions live again. Soon, Voltron will protect Arus once more. How is that not happy?"

Lance shrugs then says, "I thought the guy always got the girl in a happy ending?"

He notices Maia stiffening, the smile gone from her face, then swears under his breath as he turns and walks away from her. She watches him go then turns back to the gym. She finds Allura sitting on the gym mat, watching a small bolt of lightning moving back and forth from one hand to the other. A bright smile is on her face as she looks up at her cousin, "I do believe you are right, lightning is my natural element."

The lightning disappears a moment later as Allura stands up, "Are you all right?"

Maia nods, but her mind remains on the young man from Earth that makes her want things, things she should not want. Shaking her head as if to dismiss the thought, she looks back at Allura, "Do you mind if we end the lesson early today? I should return to Fire Kingdom."

Confused, Allura nods at her but does not get a chance to say anything else before Maia disappears. Sighing, she walks out of the gym and makes her way toward her office.


	16. Chapter 16

Ok, now I feel bad…RossoDiSera, I didn't mean to make you feel bad or to think I was mad about your review. Once again, a reviewer's opinion is just that, their opinion and they have a right to it. I only meant to say that if you wanted to talk about one of the chapters to get a fanfiction account and private message me.

Sorry about that…

Mertz

I make no claims to Voltron or any WEP characters.

Origins: A Legend Unfolds: Chapter 16

Pulling back on the controls, Keith spins Black lion in the air and avoids the missiles that he had Pidge and Hunk shoot at him. A smile slips across his face as he calls out, "That's enough guys. I think I have a good handle on how the lion maneuvers."

"Great Cap…" replies Pidge as he performs a fly-by, missing the Black lion only by a few feet.

Shaking his head at his friend's daring, Keith replies, "Let's get back to the compound. After a quick lunch, we will try to form Voltron."

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Walking into the dining room, Allura is pleasantly surprised by the male laughter echoing in the room. Her gaze moves around the room as the men talk about the lions and what they have discovered while flying them. The excited tones override the words, making it hard for her to hear exactly what they are saying since they seem to be talking over each other. The sound of the commander's laughter rises over the din as Allura takes her seat. It causes goose bumps along her arms and neck.

She turns her gaze to the advisor to quietly ask, "What is going on?"

Coran smiles at her, "The commander took out the Black lion this morning for practice. The training was a success. After lunch, they will all go out and try to form Voltron." Excitement fills Allura and she turns to the group to join them in the conversation.

From across the table, Keith suddenly notices the princess' presence. He had been too occupied with his discussions with the others to notice her entrance earlier. As she talks to Hunk, he feels the need to pull her attention to himself. Trying to ignore the sensation, he forces his attention back to Pidge and the discussion they were having about the Black lion's weapon systems.

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Finished with his lunch thirty minutes later, Keith stands up and looks around the table at his men. "Ready to try to form Voltron?"

At their hearty replies, he gestures to them, "Well, let's get going!"

As the others start to stand up, Keith's gaze moves around the table and meets the princess'. She smiles up at him in response with a hopeful gaze. He smiles back at her as she finally stands and walks with Coran out of the room. Keith starts around the table only to find Sven waiting for him with a knowing smile on his face. Ignoring his friend, the commander walks past him and starts following the others down the hall toward the control room.

Sven keeps pace with him and to Keith's annoyance, whispers to him, "I saw that…"

Keeping his tone even despite his annoyance, the commander replies, "Saw what?"

"Oh, the smile you shared with the princess back there. She seems to be warming up to you."

Keith shrugs indifferently, "She's just excited to see the lions up and running. Once Voltron is back, her people will be able to start living outside of the caves again."

"Perhaps…" agrees Sven as they approach the control room. He stops them just before the doors and waits until the others are inside before saying, "Or perhaps she is seeing something more."

"What are you saying Sven?" demands Keith as his eyes narrow at him.

The Norwegian sighs deeply, "Just be careful not to misinterpret gratitude for something else. She is royalty…"

"I know who and what she is, Sven. You don't have to remind me that I am way below her station," snarls Keith as he pulls away from his friend and continues into the control room. He stops inside the door to find the princess standing next to the command chair. She looks over at him as he moves closer and smiles at him once more. Keith startles when Sven stops beside him and whispers, "I wasn't trying to make you angry, my friend. I just don't want either of you to end up with a broken heart."

Keith sighs as he feels his anger drain away then nods, "I know…"

Both men stop speaking when Lance joins them, "Are we going to do this or not?" His eyes move between his friends for a moment then he asks, "What did I miss?"

"Nothing," Keith replies then gestures to the two people up at the controls, "Did they ask Princess Maia to come fetch you?"

"Yes, her commander was going to let her know we need her," replies Lance then looks over at Sven in question. The other man ignores him and steps forward instead, "Well, the rest of us should head for our lions then."

They watch as the main control center rises into the air suddenly. Coran turns in the chair and smiles down at them, "Commander, Hunk, Sven, if you will please?"

The men run for their tunnels and disappear down them a moment later. Pidge hits Lance in the arm then takes off back down the hallway, making his way out to the cavern holding Green lion. A flash of light blinds those remaining in the room momentarily as Maia appears. She holds out her hand to Lance while asking, "Ready?"

He takes a deep breath as he nods to her. Placing his hand in hers, he tries to smile at her, but fails as he remembers how sick the transfers make him. Maia smiles reassuringly at him then says, "Take a calming breath."

As Lance sucks in a breath, they disappear. Reappearing inside the lion, Maia watches him as he pulls his hand away from her and bends over while sucking in several deep breaths while trying not to be sick. As he slowly stands back up, she asks, "Are you all right Lance?"

He barely nods at her then she disappears again. Swearing quietly, Lance makes his way into the command chair.

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Flying the lion up into the air, Keith pauses mid-air then turns around to get his bearings. He spots Green and Blue lion coming up from the east. Soon, Red and Yellow lion appear from the south and west. Hitting the comm. unit, he inquires, "Everyone ready to try this?"

"About as ready as we will ever be…" mumbles Lance as he pauses Red lion beside him.

A smile creeps across the commander's face as the others report in. Taking hold of the controls, he orders, "Follow me up into the reverse-flying V." Keith flies forward and makes sure the lions are in the proper order behind him with Lance and Pidge first then Hunk and Sven following.

Pulling back on the controls, Keith flies straight up into the air and turns the control sideways, "Activating interlocks…" a subsystem rises up out of the main control system, but nothing lights up. "That's strange…"

"What is it Keith?" asks Sven across the comm.

"The controls for Voltron do not appear to be working," he explains then turns the controls off. He watches the system lower then turns the control again. Once again, the subsystem rises, but the lights do not turn on.

"SHIT!" exclaims Keith as he levels out Black lion then directs it back toward the ground. He hits the buttons for the comm. unit once more, "Hunk, Pidge, any ideas why the system isn't working?"

He hears Hunk sigh, "No Cap, we checked with the techs that have been taking care of the lions all these years and we checked everything ourselves before we even flew the lions. Everything seemed to be in working order."

Resisting the urge to swear some more, Keith flips the switch and calls out, "Commander Kogane to control. Come in."

"This is control, what seems to be the issue, Commander?"

'_Issue…' _derides Keith mentally as he states, "The controls for Voltron do not appear to be working. Any ideas for what we may be doing wrong?"

"The lions have always been in working order, Commander. I suggest you come back to the compound and we will figure it out from here," states Coran then signs off.

Keith sighs in defeat, "You heard the man, everyone back to the compound. We will put all the lions in the main lair for now." Upon hearing acknowledgement from the others, he turns Black lion back toward the compound.

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Appearing to study the video screen, Maia listens to her commander give the rundown of guard duty and known Drule patrols nearing Fire Kingdom. She barely hears him as her mind drifts to the lieutenant once more. "We should know more about those patrols tonight…"

The man stops, "Princess Maia, did you understand me?"

"What?" she looks up abashed and feels her cheeks heating in embarrassment, "I am sorry Vasin, I have a lot on my mind."

A flash of light brightens the room then dims to show a ball of light floating in the middle of the control room. The princess steps away from her commander and walks toward it as it lights up the room.

"Maia…" a deep voice from the ball speaks.

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As he sets the lion into a sitting position, Keith's mind is on the problem of finding a way to form Voltron. The lions all seem to be in perfect working order, but yet, the sequence for forming the robot will not start. Pulling the key out of the lion, he opens the side hatch and jumps to the ground to find the other four waiting. His eyes move from one disgusted expression to the next as Lance asks, "What the hell are we going to do now? The lions by themselves won't defeat Zarkon's forces."

"I know," replies Keith as he wearily rubs his face. "Let's get up to the control room and see what Coran knows about it." Without waiting to see if the others are following, he starts down the tunnel leading back into the compound. Reaching the steps, he walks up into the compound with the sound of the booted feet of his men following him.

Moving down the hallways, he leads the group back into the control room and watches as Coran and Princess Allura step off the dais to meet them. Refusing to show the weariness he still feels, Keith asks, "Do you know how we can fix the lions so we can form Voltron?"

He watches as the princess and advisor share a look before Coran looks back at him to answer, "Not directly no. However, we know who to ask."

"And who would that be?"

Keith turns his head to find Lance stepping up beside him as he glares at the advisor, "I thought that everyone who knew how to operate the lions is dead?"

A sad smile twists his face as Coran responds, "They are Lieutenant…they are…"

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Walking down the long stairway that leads to the crypts, Keith asks, "What do you hope to find in King Alfor's tomb, Coran? I don't understand this." His irritation rises as the advisor looks back at him with a droll look in his eyes before responding, "This is one of those things you will have to see to believe Commander. Trust me."

Allura looks back and notes the irritated looks on the men's faces as they continue to follow them down the stairwell. Whispering softly to the older man beside her, she asks, "What if he does not appear? He has not always…"

"Princess, in times of desperation, he has never let us down. I do not think he will now," the advisor replies as they reach their destination. He glances at her then says, "If you will Princess." Nodding, Allura walks over and places her hand on the keypad. It lights up around her hand as it registers her handprint then the doors to the tomb of Storm Kingdom's past kings open slowly. Glancing back at the men, the princess states, "If you will follow me please," then walks through the doors.

Keith stares at the doors as Sven walks up to him to quietly ask, "Why would they bring us to the tomb of the king?" Glancing back at him, the commander shakes his head unknowingly in answer then follows the advisor and princess into the room. His eyes move over the interior of the dark room, noting the various vaults in different locations in the cavernous room. Looking over, he watches the princess approach a set of stairs leading to a second level. Waving a hand at the rest of the men, he signals them to follow then glances at Coran as he walks past the older man to follow the princess up the stairs.

Reaching the top, he watches Allura approach the closest vault then kneel in front of it, her head down as if in prayer. Her voice is quiet but Keith can still hear her say, "Father, please. We desperately need your guidance."

He hears the men behind him swear and yell in reaction and he takes a step or two backward himself as a bright light shines in front of them briefly then dissipates to reveal a ghostly image. The image wavers in his place above the tomb, but his voice is clear as he says, "My daughter, my time is short. How can I be of assistance?"

Standing up, Allura watches as Coran steps beside her then turns to her father's spirit, "Father, we have retrieved all of the keys to the lions." She glances back at the men behind her then looks back, "But we cannot form Voltron. The sequence will not work…"

"Because the spirit still needs to be repaired," Alfor informs her as his ghostly eyes move from her to the incredulous men standing behind her. He directs his next statement to them, "Voltron Force, you do us great honor by coming to Arus to help us in our time of need. But Voltron takes more than bravery, determination, intelligence, and brute strength to operate."

Keith straightens then steps forward until he is next to Princess Allura. He glances at her then back at the spirit in front of him, something he never thought he would see again after retrieving the key to Black lion. Swallowing against the lump he feels in his throat, he asks, "Majesty, how do we repair the spirit?"

He resists the urge to back away as the ghost smiles at him before answering, "Only the kings of Arus can reawaken the spirit of the mighty robot."

"But Father, there are no kings left!" Allura cries out, her face stricken with sudden tears.

King Alfor looks back down at his daughter as he states, "No, but the spirits of the kings remain. Find the children of the kings. With their help, you will be able to awaken Voltron's spirit once more." His image begins to diminish as he finishes, "Farewell." Silence fills the room as the brightness of King Alfor's spirit fades, leaving the tomb as dark as it was before.

"We just saw a fucking ghost…"

Lance's voice carries about the room and Keith glances over to find a furious look on the princess' face as she whirls about, "Do you people believe in anything?"

"Generally on Earth, dead people do not talk to the living," Lance explains to her, his face still white from the apparition he just witnessed. He swallows hard as he continues to stare at the spot above the crypt where the ghost of King Alfor had been a moment before.

"Sorry Princess, but you will have to understand things like this don't happen on Earth," explains Pidge, his own face pale, hands up in the air as if in surrender as he tries to placate her. "So you will have to forgive our reactions when we witness things that would never happen there."

"But you each saw the spirit of the one of the kings when you retrieved the key to your respective lion," the princess argues, her face red with anger.

"We didn't see a ghost…" Lance blurts out, "We saw balls of light!"

Sensing the fight that is about to occur, Keith turns around to states, "Let's get back upstairs, we can discuss what we heard there."

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Reaching the conference room, Keith sits down heavily in one of the chairs as the others move around the table and finally take their own seats. He glances next to him as Allura sits down beside him, the advisor on her other side as he states, "This is going to be a difficult task."

"What?" Lance seems to have found his usual swagger as he states, "Finding the kids of the kings? How hard can it be?"

"Harder than you think…" Coran responds as he tugs on his moustache. He glances at the princess then presses a button on the table to reveal a digital writing surface. As he writes down the name of each kingdom, the advisor states, "We lost most of the royal families during the invasions." He writes Allura's name next to that of Storm Kingdom and Maia's near Fire Kingdom. "We do not know for sure that there are survivors from every kingdom." He looks across at Keith, "Water Kingdom was totally destroyed, the entire family, including the daughters, were killed by the Drules."

"Oh shit…"

Coran glances over at Lance's incredulous face to retort, "That is a gross understatement of the problem." He looks back at the other names, "While we do not know for certain the status of the other kingdoms, I know that King Harold of Wind Kingdom planned on sending his young wife and child into hiding prior to the battle. He had had a bad feeling about that final battle, but King Alfor refused to listen to him when King Harold said we might be defeated."

He looks up at Keith as he says, "We do not know for certain that they survived the invasions however. In the ten years since, we have not managed to find anyone that knows or is willing to divulge what happened to Queen Arielle and her child." He puts a question mark near Wind Kingdom then continues, "Earth Kingdom does have two surviving heirs…"

Allura gasps as she glances at the advisor, "Why did you never tell me?"

Smiling sadly, Coran states, "Their protector had hidden them for several years then they refused to have anything to do with us after I found them six months ago. Princess Kaya and her younger sister, Princess Sophia, work to protect the few remaining citizens of Earth Kingdom, but do not welcome visitors from other kingdoms. I did not tell you because I did not want you hurt knowing they would refuse to speak with you."

The door to the conference room opens to reveal Princess Maia. Allura stands as the other princess walks into the room, "Maia, I did not know you were coming."

Her emerald green eyes glance over at Lance, who smiles wolfishly at her, before she looks back at Allura, "The spirit of my father appeared to me and said I was needed."

"Yes, you very much are…" informs Coran as he gestures her to the seat next to him. "We need the offspring of the kings to awaken Voltron's spirit. While I know of four daughters that have survived from three of the kingdoms, there are two kingdoms that I know very little about."

Maia reads what the advisor had written next to the name of each kingdom then glances up, "There was a son of Water Kingdom that was not here during the invasions…" At the exclamations of the others in the room, she looks at Allura, "Your mother's younger brother had married a princess from the planet Pollux."

"How could I have forgotten that!" Coran exclaims as he slaps a hand against his forehead.

Shaking her head at him, Maia looks back at Allura, "I am not sure where they are now or what has happened to Pollux these last ten years…"

"But my uncle might still be there and if not him, then perhaps I might have some cousins there," excitedly, Allura replies as she clasps her hands together.

Nodding, Maia looks back at the console once more, "I do not know of Wind Kingdom though, the man that is in charge reveals nothing and will not let us in there at all…"

"It's a start," Keith says as he rises from his seat. He looks up at the projected image on the monitor in front of him, "We need to go to each of these places and see who we can find."

"I wish to go with you when you visit the kingdoms."

Keith looks back at Princess Allura and notes the determined look on her face, "Princess, we do not know what kind of situations we will be going into. Since I cannot guarantee your safety, I do not think…"

"But you are outsiders!" argues Allura as she walks over to him, "While the people might not be willing to speak to you, they will recognize…"

Shaking his head, Keith opens his mouth to argue only to have Princess Maia override him, "I agree with Allura. We should be with you when you visit the remaining kingdoms." Her eyes are hard as she glares at him, "This world is our responsibility, and I will no longer sit meekly by and wait for you _men_ to fight our battles for us."

Allura smiles at her cousin then at the expressions of varying disbelief and irritation on the faces of the men at the table. The only one still in a neutral state is Coran's as the advisor lifts an eyebrow at her in reply to her unspoken question. Keith sighs deeply then runs a hand through his hair as he looks at the determined princesses. "Very well, but only one of you will accompany us at a time and we will send out two lions to each location. The rest will remain here in case of attack."

"I wish to go to Pollux," states Allura as she looks at the commander, "I need to know if my mother's brother still lives…"

"Very well," defeated, Keith looks over at his second-in-command as Sven arches an eyebrow at him, "Sven, you and I will take Princess Allura with us when we visit Pollux. First, I want to concentrate on the kingdoms here. Let's start with the Earth Kingdom, since we know that there is a daughter there."

"I will accompany you to visit the Earth Kingdom," states Maia as she looks at the men in front of her. "My brother was engaged to Kaya before the invasions. She may be more willing to receive me than Allura."

Nodding, Keith looks over at the men, "I think they will definitely need to see Yellow lion, so Hunk, you and Pidge will go…"

"Commander…"

Keith looks over as Lance stands up to say, "I would like to join Hunk instead."

The commander stares at his friend for several long moments then notices the covert glance that Lance sends to the Fire Kingdom princess. Resisting the urge to moan, he acquiesces to the request, "Very well, gather what you need in case you must spend the night away from the compound then get going. I want reports every hour."

He walks around the room as the people clear out and grabs Lance's arm, stopping him from leaving. Glancing over at Hunk, Keith says, "I need a quick word with him then he will join you." As the big man nods in reply then leaves the room with Princess Maia in tow, the commander turns back to his friend, "This is serious stuff Lance. I need you to concentrate on the mission and not on how to pick up Princess Maia."

Shaking his head, the lieutenant pulls his arm away as he retorts, "I know that Keith." He glances down at the table for a moment then back at his friend to answer seriously, "I don't know what it is, but I feel like I need to be there to protect Maia. That it is my duty to do so." He manages a goofy smile as he sticks his hands in his pockets, "Does that make sense?"

Taking a deep breath, Keith agrees with him, "I'm afraid it does. For some odd reason I feel the same way about Princess Allura. Even though she can be the most difficult woman I've ever had the displeasure of meeting at times. It must be the connection between flying Black lion and the fact that her father used to be its pilot."

"Yeah, kind of like you owe it to him."

Startled by the insight, Keith nods his head then manages a smile, "Very well, get going and make sure you guys report back every hour."

Lance returns the smile, smartly salutes his commanding officer, and then leaves the room. Keith sits down in one of the chairs to contemplate their conversation and his growing need to protect the princess of Storm Kingdom, even if he would rather strangle her himself half of the time.


	17. Chapter 17

I make no claims to Voltron or any WEP characters.

Origins: A Legend Unfolds: Chapter 17

Arriving in the lions' lair fifteen minutes later with an overnight bag slung over his shoulder, Lance finds Hunk waiting by his lion, a bag at his feet. Approaching the other man, he asks, "Where is Princess Maia?"

"She should be along shortly. She returned to Fire Kingdom to retrieve a bag and to alert her commander to the situation," states Hunk as he leans against the lion's leg.

Lance barely nods when there is a flash of light and Maia reappears. She glances at him then looks over at Hunk, "I am ready."

"This way, Princess."

She glances over as Lance adds with a smile on his face, "You fly with me."

Looking ready to argue Maia stops when she notices the private pick up his bag and jump up to the side hatch for Yellow lion without waiting for her response. Withholding a groan, she looks back to find a devilish look in Lance's eyes as he asks, "Afraid I might bite?"

Narrowing her eyes at him, Maia swings her hips as she walks toward him and replies softly, "You should be more afraid of what I might do to you…" then walks past him toward the Red lion.

Feeling his smile growing, he calls after her, "Was that an offer?"

He watches her stiffen slightly, her eyes flashing her indignation as she glances back at him briefly then continues forward without further comment. Chuckling to himself, Lance follows her over to the lion.

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Pulling back the controls, Hunk pushes Yellow lion faster though the sky as he leads the way to Earth Kingdom. His eyes take in the blue sky with the white fluffy clouds and he feels the tension that had been building since the failure to form Voltron fading slowly. Sighing, he turns his attention back to their destination and hits the comm. unit, "Thank God for the speed of these lions, we will be there in a few minutes."

"Roger that. Take us into the lair as we discussed."

"Yeah Lance…I know," retorts Hunk a bit irritably, his tension returning.

The lieutenant does not answer him as Hunk starts to lead the way down to the ground and his entrance to Yellow lion's lair. Hunk runs the lion down the tunnel leading inside then stops in the middle of the lair and puts the lion into a sitting position. He waits for Lance to do the same with Red lion then hits a button. The lion roars several times and he mumbles, "That should do it…" as he rises from the command chair.

Jumping to the ground outside of the lion, Hunk walks over to meet Lance and Maia when they hear the loud sound of steel doors opening. Soon, several men surround them with laser guns pointed at them. The leader of the group steps forward as he snarls, "Hands up…"

"Sure," Hunk replies as he raises his hand up into the air, revealing the key to the lion and the mark on his hand. The man steps forward and grabs the hand to stare at it. Disbelief shines in his eyes as he demands, "How did you get that key?"

"I earned it," states Hunk as he rips his hand away.

Lance steps forward and flashes his hand to them as well, "We need to speak with one of the members of Earth Kingdom's royal family."

As the soldier narrows his eyes at the lieutenant, Maia finally steps forward, trying to intercede, "Please inform Princess Kaya that Princess Maia of Fire Kingdom needs to speak with her on a pressing matter."

"The princess does not meet with outsiders to Earth Kingdom," the man states then points his gun at them once more, "Now leave."

"So much for diplomacy…" Maia sighs dramatically then ignites a ball of fire in her hand. As the other soldiers start to yell and back away in fear, the princess states again, "I wish to see Princess Kaya…now."

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A young woman, with aristocratic bearing, walks down a tunnel with a hurrying gait. Short of stature yet slim, her hair is brown with red and blondish tints that shine under certain lighting. Her brown eyes scan the hallway as she walks, always on alert. Rose-colored lips are pressed together in irritation as she hurries along. She nods to the people she passes, but does not speak to them, as she makes her way to the underground entrance of the Earth Kingdom compound.

Moving through the open doorway, she walks up to the three outsiders still surrounded by her soldiers. She gasps at the sight of the woman before her holding a ball of fire in her hand and demands, "What is the meaning of this?"

Maia nods to her as the fireball extinguishes, "Hello Kaya, long time, no see."

The other princess does not acknowledge the greeting, instead she snarls, "What do you mean by threatening my men, Maia?"

"They would not seek you out when requested, so I had to persuade them otherwise," explains Maia as she shrugs nonchalantly.

"Use of magic by royal women of Arus…"

"Is supposedly forbidden," finishes Maia for her, "I have heard that many times before." She takes a step toward her, "But that did not stop my father from training me." Reaching out, she touches the other princess' arm as she softens her tone, "Besides, that Arus is gone. There are no rules beyond what we create."

Kaya sighs then looks beyond the other princess to the two men standing behind her. Her brown eyes go back to Maia's face with reproach, "You bring strangers to my kingdom…"

"They are here by Princess Allura's request from Galaxy Garrison…" starts Maia, as the anger becomes more pronounced on the other woman's face, she quickly adds, "They have done what no other could. The lions live again."

Shocked brown eyes glance over at the men once more then finally to the lions behind them, which she had failed to notice on her arrival. Looking back at the men, she watches as they hold up the keys to the two lions for a moment then Kaya looks back at Maia to demand, "How?"

"We each completed the trial set forth by the guardian of each key," explains Lance as he takes a step forward.

"Who are you?" challenges the princess, her eyes still flashing her anger.

Maia places a hand on her arm to calm her. Gesturing to Lance, she states, "This is Lieutenant Lance McClain, he now pilots my father's lion." She turns to the other man, "This is Private Hunk Garrett, he now pilots Yellow lion."

Standing still as he feels her brown eyes moving over him in an appraising manner, Hunk nods to her, his stance serious as he greets her, "Your Highness."

She looks away from him a moment later to turn back to Maia, "Why are you here?"

The Fire Kingdom princess glances at the men still surrounding them then back at Kaya to say, "Can we speak somewhere more private?"

On the verge of declining, Kaya looks back at the one called Hunk once more. He reminds her of a giant as she thinks, _'I would be lucky to reach his chest, forget his shoulders.' _He smiles softly at her and she feels her chest tighten and silently gasps as she feels her attraction to the man grow. Shocked at the thought, she turns back to Maia and nervously gestures them to follow her.

They watch her pause just inside the entryway as if undecided then she turns down one corridor. Maia glances at Lance, who gestures to her to lead the way. She walks past him and follows Kaya down the hallway. The other princess stops suddenly and turns back to them, "What is it that you want from me?"

Maia moves closer to her to quietly answer, "We have the lions, but Voltron's spirit is broken. We need to find the children of the kings to reawaken him." She holds the other woman's gaze for a long moment before Kaya turns away and starts walking down the corridor again.

As she leads them down the hallway, Kaya speaks, "I fail to see what kind of help I can be to you. I did not even know that the Yellow lion had been taken." Maia glances at the other two then says, "Kaya, we need you to reawaken Voltron's spirit, without you or Sophia, we will not be able to do it."

Stopping, Kaya faces them, "So you want me to leave my people to go with you, in the hope that we can make Voltron live once more. Voltron already failed against Zarkon's forces once, what makes you think you can stop him now, even if you can make it work?"

Maia opens her mouth to reply but stops when she hears, "Mother, Mother, have you seen them?"

A young boy comes running up to them and Maia looks up to see a frightened look cross Kaya's face before it disappears as the boy races up to her. From the dim lights in the corridor, she can finally make out the bluish toned skin and slightly pointed ears. He managed to inherit his mother's hair and eyes, but it is obvious what his parentage is. Maia looks back up to meet Kaya's eyes as the little boy exclaims excitedly, "The lions Mother, two of the lions are outside, including Yellow lion! We heard them roar all the way in the school room."

"Yes, I know…" Kaya replies as she breaks eye contact to look back into her son's face again.

"Oh Kaya! I am so sorry, he got away from me!" Princess Sophia quickly joins them, her terrified gaze going from her sister to the visitors.

Lance grinds his teeth together to hide his anger at what obviously happened to the princess but manages a soft smile and a short bow, "You must be Princess Sophia. I am Lance McClain, a lieutenant with Galaxy Garrison and pilot of Red lion."

The little boy exclaims, "Whoa!" then grabs onto Hunk's hand, "Do you fly Yellow lion?"

Smiling broadly, Hunk replies, "That I do buddy! Would you like to go see the inside of him?"

"Can I?" He excitedly asks, "Can I really?" He does not wait for Hunk to answer as he grabs onto his mother's hand and tugs hard, "Mother, can I go see the inside of the lion? Please, pretty please?"

Kaya looks Hunk in the eye closely, suspicion and worry visible before it clears as she looks back down at her son, "Yes, you can, but I need to talk with these men first. Go with Sophia for now and we will come get you when you can look at the lions."

Disappointment crosses the young boy's face as he looks from his mother to Hunk. The big man smiles at him then states, "I promise we won't leave until you get to look at the lions."

He nods at Hunk then takes his aunt's hand as she leads him away down the hallway. Hunk watches him go then looks back at Kaya to find a challenging look in her eyes as she angrily says, "Follow me." Lance and Maia exchange a look then follow Hunk and Kaya down the hall. They stop next to a door and Kaya gestures them inside before shutting the door behind them.

Maia waits until the door closes then asks, "When?"

Hard brown eyes stare at the Fire Kingdom princess for several long moments before Kaya answers, "During the invasion." She looks at the men as Hunk's eyes flash his anger before he can douse it. "Father had died in the lion and the Drules were landing out in the courtyard and storming the castle. My mother had pushed us to run for the caverns, but the soldiers caught up to us. I managed to shove Sophia into the escape hatch, but I did not get through it in time." She stops speaking for a moment then meets Maia's eyes, "When he was born, my father's advisor actually told me that I should drown him then kill myself for my shame."

"That son of a bitch!"

Kaya looks over to find a furious Hunk adding, "He is only a child! He can't help who his father is…"

"My son has no father!" the princess viciously exclaims, her chest heaving as she balls her hands into fists near her waist.

Stepping forward, Maia pulls Kaya into a quick hug as she whispers, "He meant no harm…"

Taking a step to the side, Lance puts a hand on Hunk's arm, "Easy big guy…" Looking back to the tearstained face of the Earth Kingdom princess, he says, "Hunk is fiercely protective of children Princess Kaya, he only meant that your son shouldn't be blamed for something beyond his control."

Kaya closes her eyes while wiping the tears from her cheeks and turns away from them. Hunk's soft question makes her turn back around, "What's the prince's name?" As she looks at him in shock, Hunk asks, a bit confused, "He is a prince isn't he?"

"Yes…he is," the princess chokes out around her tears. "His name is Audric."

Hunk smiles at her as he leans toward her and gently wipes the tears away from her cheeks, "A princely name for a handsome boy." His gaze becomes fierce once more, "I would protect him with my life."

Incredulous laughter bursts out of her as she retorts, "I do believe you would…"

Shaking his head at the two of them, Lance steps forward, "Princess Kaya, not that I want to cut this short, but we really could use your help. Please, come back with us to Storm Kingdom."

Still on the verge of declining, Kaya looks over at the one called Hunk to find him staring at her, his expression hopeful. Her gaze shifts over to Maia to find the other princess staring at her intently while awaiting her decision. She looks back at Hunk and he smiles at her. A sudden, unexplainable need fills her as she replies, "Very well, as long as my son can accompany us. I will not leave him."

"Wouldn't expect you to," Hunk replies with the smile still on his face.

Kaya returns the smile with a shy one of her own then looks over at Lance, "It is too late in the day to travel back to Storm Kingdom. Stay with us tonight so I have time to get packed and inform my sister and master of the guards that I will be leaving for a while so they will be in charge."

The lieutenant nods, relief going through him as he thinks, _'One princess down…two to go.'_

She turns to walk out of the room then stops when Hunk says, "Where can I find Prince Audric? I do believe I made him a promise to see the lion." Kaya smiles at him, "I will lead you to him…" then looks at the other two, "and find rooms for you to use for the night. Come…"

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Sitting in the recreation room with her nephew, Princess Sophia smiles down at Audric as he glances at her then goes back to his puzzle. She watches him pull out more pieces of the 3D puzzle of the old Earth Kingdom castle and continues working on the base of the castle. To look at her, one would think the princess was calm, inside she was anything but as she thought, _'Poor Kaya…I could tell by the looks on their faces, they knew Audric's parentage. I wonder what is going on? She has never allowed foreign visitors into the compound before this.'_

"Sophie…look."

Turning her attention back to her nephew, she smiles as he holds up a wall section for her to look at, "Very good."

As he turns back to the puzzle, Sophia returns to her thoughts only for him to speak again and draw her attention back to him, "He will not forget, will he?"

"Who?" asks Sophia as she looks back at Audric once more.

"The pilot of Yellow lion." He frowns slightly, "I did not get his name…" Dismissing the thought, Audric looks back at his aunt again, "He promised I could see inside Yellow lion. You do not think he would forget, do you?"

"I am sure he will come for you once your mother has finished speaking with him," she reassures him.

Audric nods, but still looks worried, "How long will that take?"

"I do not know sweetheart, since I do not know what they are talking about," Sophia replies then gestures back down to his puzzle. "Keep working on that and I am sure he will be here soon enough."

Looking disappointed, Audric looks back down at his puzzle as he mumbles, "Bet he will forget…everyone forgets about me."

"Oh honey…" Sophia starts to rise from her chair when the door opens to reveal her sister and the visitors. Audric's face lights up as the Yellow lion pilot walks past Kaya toward him, "Ready to go see the lion?"

"You remembered!" the little boy yells as he quickly jumps up from the floor and runs at him.

"Why did you think I'd forget?" asks Hunk, a little confused.

Sophia watches Audric shrug then grab onto the man's hand and starts pulling him toward the door, "Let's go!"

"Audric!" Kaya looks at her son, horrified, "Where are your manners?"

He immediately looks contrite and releases Hunk's hand as he looks from his mother to the pilot, "I am sorry."

"It's ok to be excited," states Hunk as he takes the boy's hand within his. "There wasn't anything as cool as mechanical lions where I grew up. But if there were, I would have been as excited as you are now."

The boy smiles then looks back to find his mother looking at the pilot curiously. She shifts her gaze when she realizes her son is looking at her and smiles. "Go ahead." With his face once again lit up with excitement, Audric pulls on Hunk's hand until he pulls the big man out of the room. Kaya shares a humorous smile with Maia as they follow them out of the room with Lance bringing up the rear.

Sophia watches the door close behind them as she thinks over the day's events. Sighing in agitation, she finally follows them.

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Holding onto Hunk's hand as he walks with him out into the lion's lair, Audric murmurs, "Whoa…" as they approach the mechanical lions. He glances back at his mother to smile at her then pulls on Hunk's hand, "Let us go!"

Laughing at the boy, Hunk picks him up and swings him around so he lands on his back. Saying, "Hold on tight," he jumps up the leg of the lion and makes his way to the side hatch.

From the ground, Kaya watches her son's laughing face as he disappears into the lion with the pilot. Unable to contain her nervousness, she takes a step toward the lion only for Lance to stop her, "He will be all right. Hunk would rip off his own arm before letting anything happen to a kid." He smiles over at Maia then starts for the lion, "I think I'll go join them…"

As Lance starts for the lion, Kaya glances back to find Sophia walking up to them as well. She looks up at the lions as Lance jumps up to the side hatch of Yellow lion, over to Princess Maia then steps closer to her sister to ask, "What is going on, Kaya?"

Kaya glances over at Maia, as the other woman steps away from them, to answer her sister quietly. "I need to go with them to Storm Kingdom in the morning. I will be gone for a few days with Audric." As her sister gives her a confused look while shaking her head in disagreement, Kaya reaches for her hand, "The lions live again, but they cannot form Voltron. They need one child of each of the former kings to heal Voltron's spirit."

"Heal Voltron…" repeats Sophia, who continues to shake her head, "But why must it be you?"

Sighing, Kaya looks over at the Fire Kingdom princess then over to the lions sitting in a prone position before her. She smiles back at her sister as she responds, "I do not know, but it feels like it is something I need to do."

Sophia studies her sister intensely for several long moments then finally nods, "Very well. Just do not expect me to be happy about it." As Kaya continues to smile at her, she orders, "You will contact me every day. If I do not hear from you, I will gather our forces and Storm Kingdom will find us on their doorstep."

She hears Maia's quiet laughter from her other side. Turning to face the other woman, she finds the Fire Kingdom princess smiling broadly at her as she states, "You are a woman after my own heart…"

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Inside the lion, Hunk sits in the command chair with Prince Audric on the edge of his knees as the boy stares out the monitor down on his mother, Maia and Lance. "This is cool!" He watches as Lance starts to move toward the lion and his aunt walks out into the lair to stand next to his mother. Turning his attention back to the lion, he runs his hands over the controls as he adds, "I have always wanted to see the lion, but have never been allowed to."

"Why not?"

"Because I was not allowed out of the compound," replies the prince as he leans back against the big man. He looks down at the back of Hunk's hand and uses his finger to outline the tattoo as he asks, "Will I get this tattoo one day?"

Hunk shrugs then answers, "I don't know. I don't know how they work."

The young boy sighs then sits up to look back at the pilot, "I forgot to ask…what is your name?"

"I can see why the excitement of seeing the lion would make you forget that," he smiles then adds, "Everyone calls me Hunk."

"Hunk…" Audric studies him closely as he asks, "Is that because of your size?"

"Kind of, it is a nickname my brothers gave me."

"Oh, are you the largest?"

Hunk starts laughing, "No, they are all taller than me…"

"What's so funny in here?" Lance asks as he climbs into the lion.

Audric turns to him seriously, "His brothers call him Hunk, and they are bigger than he is."

Smiling, Lance looks over to find Hunk's eyes twinkling with laughter. Deciding to change the subject, the lieutenant asks, "How do you like the lion?"

Immediately, Audric looks excited again, "It is super cool. Can we take it out?"

Lance and Hunk share a glance then Lance sighs as he shakes his head, "Not tonight I'm afraid. We don't have your mother's permission to take you out."

At the disappointed look on the prince's face, Lance reminds him, "You will get to fly in them tomorrow when we leave for Storm Kingdom."

"I am going to Storm Kingdom?" Audric looks up at Lance with an abundance of excitement shining in his eyes as he says, "Mother did not tell me that!"

"Oops…" replies Lance as he looks over at Hunk, "Forgot that she didn't have a chance to get that far."

"When do we leave?" the boy asks, his excitement still palpable.

"Not until morning Prince Audric." Hunk informs him as he pushes the boy off his lap, "Until then, we better rejoin your mother."

He looks disappointed again as Audric glances around the cockpit a final time before allowing himself to be lead out of the side hatch. He smiles again as Hunk lowers himself so that he can jump on his back then the pilot stands and jumps to the ground. Lance quickly lands beside him then moves toward his own lion, "I better check in with Keith quick…"

Hunk nods to him then directs the young prince back to his mother. As he approaches the other women, Maia asks, "Where is Lance going?"

"Just to contact Storm Kingdom…" Hunk explains but is quickly interrupted by the boy as he gushes, "Mother, are we really going to Storm Kingdom tomorrow?"

As Kaya looks up at him with reproach, Hunk says, "Lance accidently told him…"

She rolls her eyes at him then looks back down at her son, "Yes, in the morning." Taking his hand within hers, Kaya starts walking back toward the entrance to the compound as she says, "But for tonight, we are going to get washed up, have dinner then you will be going to bed early young man."

"Ahh, Mother…" the boy complains as they walk together into the compound.

Sophia smiles at the pair then turns to the other two, "We will wait for your friend then I will guide you to the dining room." At their nods, she looks over to the Red lion and waits.


	18. Chapter 18

Well, had to switch editors this week, poor Wade Wells ended up swamped, so Miss Xia C stepped in to save the day and me from posting mistakes. Many thanks for the rescue girl!

I make no claims to Voltron or any WEP characters.

Origins: A Legend Unfolds: Chapter 18

Smiling as relief goes through him, Keith replies, "That's great news Lance. We'll see all of you in the morning then."

"You got it Cap…"

Flipping off the comm. unit, Keith turns in the command chair to find Coran behind him with a smile on his face, "She agreed to come, that is fantastic news."

"Yes," agrees Keith as he stands up. "Two more to go…"

"Well, everyone should be gathered for dinner, let us go and tell them the news," says Coran as he gestures to the door.

Nodding, Keith walks with the advisor out of the control room.

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Absentmindedly listening to her son's chatter about the interior of the lion, Kaya leads him to the dining room and pauses within the door when she notices their visitors are already seated. Her eyes drift over to Hunk, who rises as she moves farther into the room to hold out a chair for her, the one next to his, leaving Audric to sit on his other side. Taking a deep breath, Kaya slowly releases it as she directs Audric to his chair, and then sits down as Hunk pushes in the chair behind her. She smiles her thanks to him then looks over to find her sister studying her closely.

Ignoring her, Kaya directs the servants to begin serving as she picks up her napkin to set it on her lap. Looking up, she finds Maia and Lance sitting next to each other, but trying hard to ignore one another. Amused by the way Princess Maia turns her body to talk to Sophia and effectively cutting Lance out of the conversation, Kaya watches the lieutenant direct his attention to Hunk and begins another conversation.

"Mother, how long will we be in Storm Kingdom?"

Kaya looks across Hunk to find her son staring at her intensely as the room goes quiet. She replies, "I guess I do not know…" then looks over at Lance for the information.

He sighs as he states, "We aren't entirely sure either. We still need to find offspring from Water and Wind Kingdoms. Guessing it will only be a day or two though."

Sophia and Kaya share a look, which Lance notices and asks, "What did I miss?"

"Nothing," Sophia says as she gives Kaya a warning look then picks up her fork as a plate is placed on the table in front of her.

Lance watches the two sisters as they both begin eating, which effectively ends the conversation. He glances at Maia, to find the princess watching the sisters closely as well. Deciding to let it go, he begins eating his own meal.

Shaking his head at Lance, Hunk works on his own meal until Audric asks, "What is Storm Kingdom like?"

As Hunk answers his question, Kaya picks at her dinner and listens as he continues to talk to her son. His sudden laughter brings her head up and she feels a sudden warmth at the attention the man pays her son as he reaches over to ruffle Audric's hair. When Hunk shifts in back into his chair and accidently brushes his leg against hers, her body instantly responds to the slight touch and she feels her cheeks reddening. Covering it, Kaya picks up her water glass and sips from it. She looks to her side to find Hunk has stopped eating and was watching her closely until he finally asks, "Are you all right?"

She nods then tries to draw his attention away as she asks, "I know you are from Galaxy Garrison, but which planet?"

"We are from Earth, Princess," answers Lance, not giving Hunk a chance to respond.

Feeling irritated with it, she starts to ask another question of Hunk only to have Audric ask his own, "Where is Earth?"

As the lieutenant continues answering her son's questions, Kaya turns her attention back to her dinner and tries to ignore the feelings the man next to her has ignited.

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Finished with dinner, Kaya glances at the clock and sighs, "I suppose I should get Audric to bed, tomorrow will be a long day."

"Mother, I am not tired yet," the prince replies then adds, "Can I go to the recreation room for a while?" When she does not immediately respond, he pleads, "Please?"

Kaya looks over to find her sister smiling humorously at her nephew then gives in, "Very well." She looks over at her guests and asks, "Would you like to join us?"

At their nods, she starts to rise only to pause as Sophia says, "I will decline. I have some things that need attending to." She ignores the look Kaya gives her as she adds, "I will say good evening," to the others then leaves the room.

Dismissing Sophia from her mind, Kaya looks at the group and gestures them to follow her. She leads them down the hall to the recreation room and watches her son move past her to sit down beside his puzzle. He looks from the puzzle up to the surrounding company then asks Hunk, "Do you want to help me?"

Hunk looks down at the partially put together 3D puzzle of a castle and sits down on the floor beside the prince as he says, "Sure…"

Kaya moves across the room and sits down on one wing backed chair as Maia sits down in the one next to it. She watches the lieutenant stand near his colleague and the boy working on the 3D puzzle, staring down at them silently. Her eyes move to the big man sitting on the floor playing with her son and her curiosity gets the better of her. Kaya leans over to ask the other princess, "What do you know about Hunk?"

Maia watches as Lance moves to sit down on the floor with them and starts helping Audric as well. She feels a slight tightening in her chest as he smiles down at the young boy then leans over to work on the puzzle with them. Forcing her eyes away from them, she finally replies, "Not very much. I have not had the time to sit and converse with Hunk for a length of time."

"What about the other?" asks Kaya shrewdly.

"I have had a few conversations with Lance…yes," admits Maia as she looks away from him to find Kaya studying her. The other woman continues to watch her closely and Maia finally sighs, "Very well, he told me that he was raised in a foster home." She goes silent for a moment then whispers urgently, "Lance is an unforgivable flirt, and I am sure he has a string of sweethearts waiting for him across the universe."

Kaya laughs softly as she looks over at the men once more. She finds the lieutenant's eyes are on the Fire Kingdom princess for several long moments before Audric says something to him that pulls his attention back to the puzzle. She gives Maia a speculative look as she probes, "He seems to watch you very closely." She smiles to herself as Maia looks over at the lieutenant then glances back at her red faced as she retorts, "Looking for another easy victory I would gather."

As Kaya laughs quietly, Maia feels her cheeks reddening even more. She is almost belligerent as she demands, "What?"

The other woman stops laughing and states, "You like him…" As Maia snorts, Kaya states it again, "You do! Admit it!"

Maia crosses her arms and looks across the room to find Lance looking at her with a questioning look on his face. He smiles softly at her a moment later and she feels her body slowly react to it. Forcing herself to look away from him, she finds Kaya smiling at her as she says, "It is all right to like him, you are no longer promised to anyone."

At Maia's shrug of feigned indifference, Kaya looks back across the room once more to find Hunk studying her. A smile lights up his eyes as he winks at her then looks back down at Audric once more. Her eyes drift down to her son in time to see him trying to cover up a yawn. Standing up, she walks across the room, "I think it is time for bed young man."

"Aww, Mother!" whines Audric as he looks up at her, "I wanted to finish this puzzle with Hunk and Lance."

Kaya looks down at the half-finished puzzle then over to find Hunk smiling up at her and Lance looking over at Maia once more. She sighs then looks back at her son, "You can do it some other time. We need to rise early in the morning for our trip to Storm Kingdom and I do not want you to be tired and crabby."

The young prince continues to grumble as he rises and Kaya takes his hand to lead him out of the room. Lance watches them go then stands up and stretches with a yawn. He smiles down at Hunk as he states, "I think that's a great idea actually." His eyes drift over to Maia, "Can I escort you back to your room Princess?"

She gives him a piercing look but stands, "Very well. It has been a long day." She glances down at Hunk as he starts to pick up the puzzle, "Are you coming as well?"

"No, I'm going to put this away first," states Hunk as he continues to pick up puzzle pieces.

Maia gives Lance a nervous glance as he holds out his arm to her, but reluctantly takes it. She walks with him out of the room and down the hallway to their assigned rooms. Lance pauses near her door and leans against it while smiling at her. "Sure you want to sleep alone?"

Narrowing her eyes, Maia retorts, "Better alone than with you."

She shoves him out of the way to open her door. Lance sighs as she passes him by and puts his hand in the door to keep it from closing. As she turns to glare back at him, he states, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to insult you."

"But you did," replies Maia as she crosses her arms in front of her chest. "Those cheap lines may work on Earth women…"

"They actually don't…" smiles Lance as he takes a step closer. "Look, I'm not good at approaching women that are…"

"Not sluts?" supplies Maia.

Lance stops speaking as he stares at her. His tone is a little wary when he finally asks, "Why does everything I say seem to make you mad?"

"Maybe it is your personality," answers the princess as she uncrosses her arms and throws her hair back over her shoulder.

"No, I think it is something else." Lance takes a step closer to her. She holds her ground but he notices her stiffening as if bracing for something. His tone is slow and easy as he states, "You're afraid."

"Of what?" she demands as she glares at him.

"I don't know yet…" Lance answers as he turns around to walk back to the door. He pauses near it as he looks back at her, "But I am hoping I find out," then walks out of the room.

As the door closes behind him, Maia runs her hands through her hair as she moves to sit down on the bed. She looks back at the closed door again as if trying to decide something then falls back against the pillows with a heavy sigh.

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Tucking the blankets in around her son, Kaya says, "Sleep well Audric. Tomorrow will be a long day." She looks down to find him smiling up at her as he states, "I like Hunk."

"You do, do you?" she asks as she finishes folding the blankets down.

"Yes, do you think he will stay here with Yellow lion?" the prince asks, excitedly.

Kaya pauses for a moment then picks at some in some invisible lint on his blanket. "That is not something we have discussed." She looks back down to find a disappointed look on her son's face. Bending over, she kisses him on the forehead then says, "Good night Audric."

"Good night Mother," he replies as he turns over onto his side.

Rising from the bed, she walks over to the door and presses the button that turns off the side lamp. Kaya watches her son for a moment more then turns around to walk out of the room. She finds Sophia outside the door waiting for her with her arms crossed. Arching an eyebrow at her sister, Kaya asks, "What?"

"What is going on with you?" Sophia inquires. "You never allow strangers here. Suddenly, all in one day, you not only allow in strangers, but you are leaving with them in the morning." She pauses a moment then finishes, "And I saw the way you were looking at the big one…Hunk."

Kaya sighs as she starts walking down the hall with her sister following. "I do not know what is going on. But there is something about him." She pauses to look at her sister, "I do not fear him like I have feared other men. I want to know more about him."

Sighing, Sophia replies, "Very well, just be careful."

Nodding, Kaya watches her sister walk away then continues down the hallway. She returns to the recreation room to find Hunk finishing putting the puzzle back into the box. Pausing, she states, "You did not have to do that."

"Why not?" asks Hunk as he stands with the box. "I helped to make the mess. I can help to clean it up."

She smiles as she steps toward him to take the box from him. Walking over to the shelf where Audric's games are kept, Kaya says, "My son is very fond of you already."

Turning back around, she gasps when discovering Hunk right behind her. He steps back quickly, his face red as he mumbles, "Sorry."

Placing a hand to her chest, Kaya shakes her head, "No, it is all right. I just was not expecting you to be right behind me." She looks up to find Hunk reddening even more then he looks back at the door, "I suppose I should go to bed…"

"Please, stay…"

Feeling her own cheeks reddening, Kaya gestures to the chairs as she says, "We have not had much time to talk. I would know more of the man flying my father's lion."

Hunk sits down in the chair next to hers then tries to shift into a comfortable position. He looks over to find her eyes full of humor as she says, "These chairs were not meant for someone so large…"

Stopping his fidgeting, Hunk asks, "What would you like to know?"

"I know you are from Earth, but what was your upbringing?"

Smiling Hunk tells her, "I was born in Japan, the youngest of five brothers and the runt of the family."

"The runt?" inquires Kaya with an incredulous look on her face.

His smile grows as he continues, "Yes, my brothers called me Hunk because they thought it was funny. They all stand over seven feet high. I'm the runt since I only reach 6 foot 6."

Shaking her head at him in disbelief, she asks, "What is your real name then?"

"Tsuyoshi."

"Excuse me?" asks Kaya as she sits forward, "Tsy.."

"Tsuyoshi…it sounds like, tee-sue-yo-she," he repeats a little slower, "You can see why everyone calls me Hunk."

"Yes…" she replies, but adds, "But I think you have a very interesting name." As Hunk smiles at her, Kaya shifts in her chair a little then asks, "So what do you like to do?"

"Pidge would answer, 'Eat…'" laughs Hunk as he pats his stomach, "Which I do. But I also love taking apart anything mechanical in nature, finding out how it works and putting it back together again."

Nodding as she looks him over, Kaya says, "Your friend mentioned that you love children…"

"Yeah, got a weak spot for them," he replies as he blushes and looks away.

"I think that is a good thing," states the princess as she leans over to place a hand on his arm, "It has been my experience that so few military men do…"

Confused, Hunk looks back at her, "Who couldn't love a kid?"

"Sadly, many," replies Kaya as she looks away. "Audric has never been fully accepted. I fear he will not be allowed to take Earth Kingdom's throne when the time comes." Her eyes become watery as she adds, "Even the old mage will not teach him about his magic. He stated Audric is impure and therefore unworthy."

"That son of a bitch…"

Kaya looks over shocked as Hunk fists his hands near his side, "He can't help who he is…I would like to get my hands on that mage." He looks back at her in time to see her horrified expression then immediately becomes contrite, "I'm sorry Princess. I don't like people that take things out on innocent kids."

As she nods slowly, Hunk suddenly smiles, "Maia…"

"What?" asks the princess with a confused look on her face.

"Princess Maia, she knows how to use magic and has even started teaching Princess Allura. I'm sure if you ask, she'd be happy to teach Audric," Hunk informs her excitedly. He grabs her hand, "Yes! Ask her tomorrow morning before we go!"

Feeling her hand engulfed in his much larger one, Kaya looks down at it as she feels her body explode with sudden need again. His hand loosens on hers and he slowly pulls it away as he once again apologizes, "I'm sorry…I shouldn't have done that."

She looks back into his eyes and searches them before saying, "It is all right. You did not hurt me."

"I never would," states Hunk quietly.

Managing a smile, Kaya reaches over and takes his hand back within hers. She squeezes it as she responds, "I know."

He returns the smile then hesitantly asks, "So…do you…see…anyone?"

"See anyone?" inquires the princess, looking confused once more.

Feeling his cheeks reddening and his hands starting to sweat, Hunk mumbles, "Date…someone?" At the continued look of confusion on her face, he adds, "Having a relationship…with another man?"

"Ahh…" Kaya replies, feeling her own cheeks turning red as she shakes her head, "No, I do not…see…anyone." At the suddenly happy look on the big man's face, she asks, "Do you?"

Hunk shakes his head at her, "No…I've not found anyone…comfortable…with…" He stops and looks at her embarrassed.

"With what?" she presses.

"Well, I'm…so big that…" he sighs as he finishes, "well, most women are afraid of me…or think I'm dumb or something."

"I do not think you are ignorant," Kaya states firmly. "Not many men could charm Audric as thoroughly as you have. That is not the feat of an ignorant man."

Smiling broadly at her, Hunk asks, "Would you like to…I don't know…have dinner or something with me, alone sometime?"

"Oh…" mumbles the princess as she looks away.

"Forget I said anything," says Hunk in a low tone as he stands up and starts to leave still muttering to himself, "I should've known better. You're a princess and I'm just a soldier…"

"Tsuyoshi, stop!" cries out Kaya as she quickly stands up and runs in front of the door to stop him. Holding up her hands in front of him, she says, "It is not because you are a soldier."

As he looks down at her curiously, she adds, "It is just that I have not…been…near a man since…" She stops speaking as she looks down at the floor. Her next words come out in a mere whisper. "I have not been able to abide…a man's touch…not since..."

"I'm sorry…"

His gravelly voice, rough with emotion, has her looking back up. She can see the anger in his eyes, but his fingers are gentle as he wipes away the tears that had suddenly started to slide down her cheeks. "I wish that I could take that pain away from you."

Taking a step closer to him, she brings up her hand to hold his closer to her cheek, so that he cups the soft skin. Rubbing her cheek against it, she moves closer until she can rest the other one against his chest. Feeling protected as his free arm moves to wrap around her shoulders, Kaya sighs, "Until you…" She looks back up into his face, "For some reason with you, I feel safe…"

Hunk smiles softly down at her, "I will protect you as long as you wish me to."

Leaning into him, Kaya hugs him only to feel his arms tightening around her as he cocoons her with his body. Sighing contentedly as his warmth suffuses her, she rubs her cheek against his chest. She can feel the rumble against his chest as he says, "We should probably go to bed…"

She looks up at him a little shocked, her cheeks red, and Hunk looks at her mortified as he quickly utters, "No! I mean…I should…take you…back to your room…then go to mine…"

Reaching up, Kaya places a finger against his lips to stop him from speaking any more. Smiling up at him, she tells him, "I would be happy for you to escort me to my room."

At the look of relief on his face, the princess laughs, "I think you are more nervous than I am…"

"Yeah…" he replies, looking sheepish, "I'm not very good at this stuff."

Still laughing, Kaya reaches up to touch his cheek, "Neither am I."

He smiles back at her then holds out his arm, "Shall we?"

"Yes, we shall," she replies as she takes his arm and he leads her out of the room. Reaching her room a minute or two later, Kaya pauses by her door to say, "Good night, Tsuyoshi."

He smiles down at her, "You can still call me Hunk if you want…"

"Perhaps…" the princess returns the smile, "Or perhaps we will come up some other name we can use when alone." Pressing the button to open the door, she smiles back at him once more, then walks into the room and closes the door behind her.

Hunk smiles broadly as he moves down the hallway towards his room.


	19. Chapter 19

I make no claims to Voltron or any WEP characters.

Origins: A Legend Unfolds: Chapter 19

Flipping onto his back, Sven mumbles in his sleep as his dream continues. _A beautiful, blonde with sapphire blue eyes stares at him sadly. Tears run down her cheeks as she stretches out a dainty hand to him while saying, "Please…save me. He hurts me." _

"_Who? Who hurts you?"_

"_A man…a man from…"_

_She stops and looks away as if someone is speaking to her. Suddenly her face is full of fear as she turns back to him, "He's coming…please…save me!"_

Sven's eyes open suddenly as he sits up in the bed. The mystery woman who has been haunting his dreams since he won the key to Blue lion goes through his mind again. He glances at the time and cringes to find that he needs to be up in few hours for drills. Throwing back the blankets, he rises and makes his way to the bathroom. Stopping at the sink, Sven turns on the water then bends over to splash some into his face. The room suddenly becoming bright with light has him turning around and crouching in a fighter's stance. The ball of light flares and the voice from the key room for Blue lion speaks, "She needs your help."

Standing upright, Sven demands, "Who? Who is she?"

"A daughter of Arus. You must find her and bring her home," the voice informs him then the ball of light disappears.

Cursing the cryptic reply, Sven turns back around to brace his hands on the sink as he stares into the mirror. He does not see the stubble on his face or the haunted look in his eyes as the image of the girl goes through his mind again and the sound of her voice echoes in his ears, _'He hurts me…'_

Anger courses through him along with the intense need to find the woman, but lack of clues to her identity raises his frustration. Picking up a towel, he wipes his face. Throwing it back down on the counter, he walks back into his bedroom then heads for his door.

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Rubbing his neck for a moment to relieve some of the tension, Keith yawns. Quickly smothering it with his hand, he glances around at the other two men manning the control room with him so late into the night. Resisting the need to yawn again, he glances at his watch then sighs as he thinks, _'Coran should be here soon to relieve me…'_

The thought is barely formed with the door to the room opens and the advisor walks in followed by two other men. He smiles at the men in the room as he states, "We are here, off to bed with you now."

Keith rises thankfully and says good night as he passes the men by and slowly makes his way to his room. Walking around a corner to the hall that leads to the bedrooms, he almost runs into Sven, who grabs him to steady them both.

"What the hell Sven?"

Stepping back, the Norwegian sighs, "Sorry."

Taking a deep breath and releasing it as he slowly calms down, Keith asks, "What's going on? Why aren't you asleep?"

"We need to talk," he replies solemnly.

Directing him to follow him back down the hall, they soon reach Keith's room and step inside. The commander flips on the light then turns back to his friend, "What's up?"

Starting to pace the short space of the room, Sven says, "I've been having these…dreams…of a woman. They started after I won the key to Blue lion."

"Ok, but I don't understand…"

"She keeps begging me to help her, that some man is hurting her!" interjects the lieutenant-commander as he stops his pacing to face his friend.

Keith nods to him, his eyes moving over his friend in a calculating manner as he tries to access the situation. After a moment, he calmly says, "But you said they were dreams."

Racking his hand through his hair in agitation, Sven turns away, "I don't know what they are! That ball of light or spirit or whatever it is from Water Kingdom, it told me that she is a daughter of Arus."

"A daughter of Arus?" repeats the commander curiously, "But from where?"

"I don't know!" exclaims Sven as he turns back to his friend, anger entering his tone, "She hasn't told me!"

Concern fills him as Keith faces his friend, thinking, _'It's just a dream, but man, is he wound up over it.' _Moving forward, he grabs onto Sven's shoulder, "Calm down. Until we know more facts, there isn't anything we can do."

Sven takes a deep breath then his shoulders drop as he finally nods in acceptance. Sighing, the commander suggests, "Why don't you get back to bed and get some sleep? Maybe things will be clearer in the morning."

Doubt fills Sven as he wipes his face with his hand, _'Maybe it is just dreams?'_ He looks back at his commanding officer, saying, "I don't know what the hell is going on. Everything's been so strange since we arrived."

"Go get some sleep Sven," Keith suggests quietly again. "We can talk about it some more tomorrow if you wish."

Nodding, Sven turns around and walks out of the room. The commander waits until his door closes, glances longingly at the bed but heads for the bathroom instead as he thinks, _'Shower first, then I can sleep.'_

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In the darkness of her room, the princess lies in her bed, tossing and turning as her nightmare continues. Her breathing becomes hyperactive, coming out in short pants as she whimpers. Suddenly she sits up, her hands outstretched while crying out, "NO!" then vanishes from the bed.

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Turning off the water, Keith steps out of the shower and grabs a towel. He quickly dries himself then wraps it around his waist. Grabbing another towel, he rubs his hair with it as he walks out of the bathroom. He mentally runs through a couple of things he needs to check in the morning as he moves across the room. Draping the towel over his shoulder, he stops near his dresser and pulls out some underwear. Dropping the towel from his waist, he's about to put them on when suddenly, Princess Allura appears in front of him, dressed only in her nightgown with her hands outstretched toward him.

"What the…" Keith cries out as he grabs the towel off his shoulder and quickly wraps it around his waist to hide his nudity.

Allura drops her arms while looking about confused. Her breathing is still fast paced as she faces him, her eyes hardly focusing on him, her mind still in her nightmare as she murmurs, "Keith?"

Anger fills the commander as he grabs her shoulders and yells, "What the hell are you doing, Princess?"

She stares into the eyes of the angry man in front of her then away to find herself not in her own bedroom, but in his. Fighting against the tears that are threatening to rise to the surface, Allura looks back at him to ask, "How did I get here?" She does not wait for him to answer as she continues, "I was dreaming…"

"I don't even want to know about what," snarls Keith as he pulls her over to the door. Slamming his hand on the button to open the door, he finishes, "But do it in your own room in the future!" then shoves her out the door.

As the door closes in front of her, the tears slide out of her eyes and down her cheeks. Wiping at them, Allura turns and runs down the hallway.

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Turning back to his dresser, Keith glances back at the door for a moment then drops his towel once more. Instead of his pajamas, he grabs out clothing and dresses quickly then runs a comb through his hair before leaving the room. Walking hurriedly down the hallway, he arrives back at the control room. His eyes move quickly around the room, ignoring the other two men working until he finds the man he is looking for.

Approaching him, he barely keeps the anger he is still feeling from his tone as he states, "I need to talk to you." As Coran turns to face him, his eyebrow up in curiosity, Keith adds, "Alone."

The advisor searches the younger man's face for a long moment, noticing the high color in his cheeks before nodding then gesturing to Keith to follow him out of the room. They walk down the hallway together then pause before the door to his office. Coran presses the button to open the door then leads the way into the room. He waits until the commander passes by him then closes the door. Turning toward the younger man, he asks, "I thought you would be asleep by now. Is there a problem?"

"You better fucking believe it," Keith swears at him then paces in front of him. Stopping, he states, "Princess Allura just appeared…_magically_…in my bedroom a few minutes ago."

Coran stares at him intently for a moment before asking, "And the problem is?"

"I wasn't dressed at the time!" snarls Keith as he fists his hands and holds them at his hips.

"Oh my…" the advisor replies, the barely concealed humor in his tone belying his words. He continues to study the commander for a moment then finally asks, "Why would she do that?"

"That's what I want you to tell me!" Keith rants as he glares at the older man.

Shaking his head, Coran says, "Allow me to restate my question, what happened that she appeared in your room?"

Fumbling for a moment, Keith finally retorts, "She said something about dreaming…"

"Dreaming…" the advisor repeats, his eyes lighting with understanding. He moves around the commander and walks over to his desk. Stopping in front of it, he turns to look back at Keith as he adds, "More likely, a nightmare." His gaze is speculative as he says, "So, after having a nightmare, Princess Allura appeared in front of you…she sought shelter."

Moving to stand in front of the older man once more, his chest still heaving with his anger, Keith demands, "What do you mean Coran?"

"I am saying that you represent something to Princess Allura that she has not had since she watched her father die ten years ago Commander." He moves to sit behind his desk and stares at the angry young man in front of him neutrally.

"And that is?" growls out Keith, his irritation rising at the other man's deliberate protracted answer.

"Is it not obvious Commander?" Coran smiles mysteriously then sits forward as Keith's face turns red with his growing anger, "You represent safety to her and she has not felt safe in the ten years since her father died. That is why she appeared to you when something scared her. She cannot control that power yet, so naturally goes to the one person she knows will protect her."

Keith's jaw drops as he is taken aback. Forcing his mouth shut, he shakes his head at the other man, "But I…she doesn't even like me."

"It has nothing to do with her feelings toward you Commander." Coran's smile grows as he sits back in his chair once more, "You have saved her more than once and Allura knows you will save her again if the need were to arise. So when she became frightened from her dream and vanished, she reappeared near the one person she knew would protect her."

Rubbing his face as regret at his earlier actions fills him; Keith nods in acceptance then asks, "Do you know where she is? I should talk to her."

Turning to his screen, the advisor pushes buttons then glances at the information in front of him. He swears, "That headstrong…" Looking back at the commander to find a confused expression on his face, Coran states, "She has gone outside alone again. She is hiding near the lake…"

Sucking in a deep breath as alarm goes through him, Keith turns abruptly and leaves the room. He makes his way quickly down the hallways and reaches the elevator that leads to the surface level. Shoving against the doors to get through them as quickly as possible, Keith runs up the stairs to the entrance of the underground compound then races outside. Reaching the lake, he looks around the moonlit area carefully then calls out, "Princess Allura!"

His eyes notice movement a few yards away, near some high brush beside the water. Running toward it, he finds the princess curled up into a ball near the brush, pulling her fingers out of the water as she sits up to face him. She pales visibly as she whispers, "How did you find me?"

"Your tracker…Coran traced it here." His anger is palpable as he closes the distance between them, "What were you thinking to come up here alone?" Keith does not give her time to answer as he yells, "What would have happened if the Drules found you? We wouldn't have known you were gone until it was far too late!"

"I am sorry…I just needed…to think…" Allura's voice is teary as she looks away from him and back at the water. She pulls her feet up to her chest as she stares at the midnight blueness of the lake and the shining twin Arusian moons in front of her.

Sighing deeply as regret fills him a second time, Keith moves over beside her and sits down. He glances at her, noting that she dressed in her pants suit with her long hair pulled into a simple ponytail behind her. Shifting his gaze, he looks out across the lake as he says, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you, here, or when you appeared in my room earlier." He glances sideways at her, "I didn't mean to hurt your feelings."

Allura studies his eyes intently for a moment, nods then looks back to the water. Her voice is calm as she says, "Did you know my mother was from the Water Kingdom?" She does not wait for an answer as she continues, "She would come out here almost every day to swim…she missed her home and her time in the water that much." Looking back at him, Allura tells him, "My brother and I would always join her. She was teaching us swim and to love the water as much as she did." Her voice falters as she glances away to say, "The day she and Raidon were taken, I was not with them. I had fallen ill that morning and was kept in bed on Mother's orders."

Tears slide down her cheeks as she glances back at Keith, "I never saw them again. My mother could not defend herself physically or magically since she was not taught how. Only a few days later, I lost my father and every kingdom on Arus was lost with him." Her hand trembles as she lifts it to reach over and place it on his forearm. Her eyes plead with him as she says, "Teach me to be a warrior like you."

"Princess…" Keith sighs out as he places his free hand on top of hers, "It takes years of practice and discipline to gain that kind of knowledge…"

"I know." Her voice turns earnest as she adds, "Please Keith. You cannot always be there to protect me and I know now that what skills I have, will not stop the Drule soldiers or anyone else. Even Maia has had more training than I have. Please…"

His dark eyes search the sapphire ones in front of him for a moment before he sighs and answers, "Very well, you can train with the team. Also, as I have time, I'll work with you more on your defense, one on one." His eyes turn hard as he finishes, "I will teach you enough to get away should a Drule or any other man try to take you."

She shocks him as she throws her arms around him in a hug. Her voice comes out as a soft whisper as Allura says, "Thank you."

Keith pats her back awkwardly with his free hand then pulls away from her to stand up, "Let's get you underground and back to bed." As he helps her to her feet, he grabs onto both of her shoulders, "Promise me you'll never come up here alone again. If they were to find you…"

Searching his eyes in the moonlight, Allura finds them full of concern and something else she cannot put a finger on. Nodding, she replies, "Very well. I will always make sure to have a guard if…"

"No." Keith's tone of voice is sharp as he states, "It will be either me or one my men that protect you if you wish to come to the surface. Promise me Allura."

She sucks in a deep breath at his use of her given name then manages to nod. The intensity in his eyes is gone a moment later as he takes her elbow and escorts her back to the compound.

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Turning over in bed, Maia sighs as her dream continues. _His hands move down her arms, teasing the skin into goose flesh as he lips continue teasing the soft skin of her neck. Unable to take the teasing anymore, Maia pulls back and smiles up into his dark brown eyes. Lance smiles back at her as he whispers, "I love you…"_

Snapping awake, Maia lets out a mini-scream of frustration, pulling her pillow over her head to stifle it. From behind her pillow, she senses the light that suddenly flows into her room. Sitting up, she finds a ball of light floating above her bed that commands, "Do not fight your fate my daughter…"

"He is not my fate," snarls the princess in a much louder voice as she throws the pillow off the bed. The ball of light brightens significantly as it states, "Maia, you cannot avoid your destiny just as I could not avoid mine. As I showed you the day he gained the key, Lance McClain is your future." She opens her mouth to argue only to have the ball of light disappear. Swearing loudly, she flops back onto the bed and grabs her remaining pillow to pull it over her head just before she once again screams in frustration.

Suddenly, the door to her room opens and Lance comes running in with a blaster in his hand. He looks about the room as she sits up and sets the pillow aside, then lowers his gun, "I woke up and thought I heard yelling in here…" As she blankly stares at him, Lance's expression shows his concern as he inquires, "Are you all right?"

Maia stares at his nude, muscular chest, noting the line of dark hair that starts at his belly button then disappears down into his pajama bottoms and feels her body respond to it. Feeling waspish, she retorts, "Do I look like I am not?"

The expression on his face changes to one of irritation as he performs a mocking bow and snidely states, "Beg pardon for my rude entrance, _your Highness_." Standing upright once more, he snarls, "God only knows why I care if something happens to you, you bite my damned head off every time I look at you the wrong way!"

As he turns to leave, Maia quickly rises, "Lance, please…I am sorry."

He looks back at her as she steps near him, "I had a…" she pauses, "a bad dream, nothing more." Taking a deep breath and releasing it, she looks up into his eyes as she says, "I am fine, thank you for checking on me."

His eyes continue to search hers for a moment more then he nods to her. "I should probably get back to bed then…" However, instead of turning to leave, his eyes drift down to take in her attire, the form-fitting, green nightgown showing off her every curve before stopping just above her knees. His eyes shine with desire as he looks back into her eyes, his voice thick with emotion as he finishes, "If you are all right…"

With her own mouth going dry with need, Maia manages to nod then steps back from him. "I have said, I am fine."

"I'm not…" Lance states as he pulls her hard against him and slants his mouth over hers.

Maia throws up her hands against his chest to push him back but stops as he deepens the kiss and a slight moan of appreciation escapes her. His arms move around her back, holding her tight to him. She can feel the hard muscles of his chest and thighs against hers. His hand drifts down to cup her buttocks and he pulls her against his hardened groin, his arousal apparent.

Shocked, Maia finally pushes him away from her as she snarls, "Do not do that again!" The look still in his eyes makes her feel self-conscious of her lack of clothing. As she turns away to pick her robe off her bed and wraps it around herself, Lance studies her for a moment. When she finally faces him again, he states, "You want me as much as I want you. You can try to deny it, but I know you want me."

Feeling her anger rising, Maia retorts, "I want to sleep out beneath the stars at night too, that does not mean I do it."

"Maybe you should once," Lance smiles at her. When she only stares at him stonily, he finally sighs, "Fine, I'll leave you alone as you've requested. Good night, your Highness."

He turns away and walks out of the room, leaving Maia torn between wanting to call him back and wanting to throw something at him for his smugness. Wrapping her arms around herself, she finally turns back to her bed and lies back down on it. Sleep does not come easily however, as she goes over the feelings he once again evoked with a kiss.


	20. Chapter 20

I make no claims to Voltron or any WEP characters.

Origins: A Legend Unfolds: Chapter 20

Yawning broadly, Allura ignores the knocking on her bedroom door. Instead, she rolls over in her bed, pushing her head under her pillow. The sound of the knocking stays persistent however, and she finally sits up, her agitation obvious as she yells out, "YES?"

The door opens to reveal the commander walking in then pausing when he finds her sitting up in her bed. He arches an eyebrow at her in question, "Thought you wanted to train with us?"

"I do…" she responds, her expression full of confusion as she turns to glance at the time. Turning back, her gaze is incredulous, "You work out at six in the morning?"

Keith tries to stifle the smile he feels coming, but can't. "Yes Princess, military life doesn't allow for sleeping in…"

"But at six in the morning?" Allura questions again, unable to get over her incredulity.

Trying hard not to laugh at her, he replies, "We start early to get our workout in before breakfast then will go out on patrol in the lions. I thought you knew our schedule…"

Nodding, the princess releases a sigh. "The patrol time yes…not the workout time," then throws back the blankets and starts to rise from the bed. Noticing the short, sleeveless top and clinging pajama bottoms outlining her body, the smile quickly leaves Keith's face. He drops his gaze to the floor as he says, "We are in the gym…hurry." Not waiting for her reply, he turns around and walks out of the room.

Allura looks over at the closing door curiously then shrugs. She quickly makes her way to her dresser to pull out her workout clothes.

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Fifteen minutes later, the princess walks into the gym to find the men running laps around the room. Arching her eyebrows at them, she waits until they near her then hears Keith say, "Well, come on…" gesturing her to follow them as they continue running. Shaking her head, Allura takes off after them, catching up to run alongside the commander.

Fifteen minutes and one and a half miles later, Allura stops and bends over while trying to pull in her air. Keith gestures for Sven and Pidge to keep going then says, "Come on Princess, we have three and a half miles left to go."

"You run…five miles…a day!" she sputters out in between deep breaths.

"About that," he replies, sounding completely normal and not the least bit out of breath.

Allura shakes her head at him and says, "I cannot…not today," while trying to stand upright and ignoring the stitch in her side.

"All right, tomorrow you will run two miles. We will slowly build you up to five," replies Keith then points to the equipment. As he leads her over to it, Allura asks, "Why must I be able to run five miles?"

"It comes down to endurance, Princess. In a fight, it isn't always the strongest man that wins," points out the commander as he stops by a weight machine. Setting it to a lower weight limit, he directs her to get onto it. Lying back against the bench, Allura braces her hands on the bar then pushes it up. Groaning at the weight and struggling not to let the bar fall back against her as she sets it back on the shelf, she shakes her head at him, "Too much…"

Nodding, Keith resets the weight then says, "Again."

Still heavy, but able to at least handle it, Allura manages ten reps then stops, her arms already burning with the effort. She listens to the commander sigh then he says, "You are in worse shape than I thought…"

Standing up from the equipment, the princess glares at him, "I am not out of shape!"

"I didn't say you were out of shape, Princess, just not where I want you to be. You need to be able to lift at least one hundred to one hundred and fifty pounds, even more than that with your legs." He smiles at her while arching an eyebrow, "You want me to help you become a better fighter? You need to be able to do more than slap someone."

Sighing in defeat, Allura nods then says, "What next?"

His smile growing, Keith replies, "Sit ups…"

Thirty minutes later and ready to return to her bed, Allura accepts a water bottle from Sven with a smile of gratitude. The other two men had joined them at the weight machines after finishing their run. Sitting on the gym mat with her legs stretched out in front of her, she watches Keith lifting weights, almost four times more than she could. Shaking her head, Allura looks back up at Sven, "How does he do it?"

"Do what?" he asks then glances over at the commander, pushing the weight bar up into the air and back down, not seeming to tire at all. Smiling, Sven looks back at the princess, "He's more dedicated than the rest of us. I wouldn't want to come up against him in an actual fight. Keith would wipe the floor with me."

Nodding, Allura continues to watch the commander exercise. Her eyes lock on his shiny muscular chest, slick with sweat, as the muscles move with each movement. Feeling her body responding, she forces her gaze away only to find Sven studying her closely. Flushing brightly at having been caught staring at Keith, she asks, "Now what?"

"Finish stretching or you will be extremely sore later," he replies then gestures to the water, "Drink plenty of that as well.

Setting the bottle down, she does as commanded and moves through the various stretches that he had shown her earlier. When she finishes a few minutes later, Allura finds Keith standing in front of her. Looking up at him, she asks, "So when do we work on actual fighting?"

Resisting the urge to smile at her, he replies, "In a couple of days, after you've built a bit more endurance." At the mulish expression that forms on her face, Keith adds, "I want you to be able to work with me for a full hour without needing breaks every ten minutes, Princess. Go take a shower and perhaps a nap." Swallowing down the laughter threatening to escape from the insulted look she gives him, he finishes, "You will get there Princess…this is a process." Waving at her, he takes off and starts running around the gym.

Shaking her head at him, Allura rises and stares after him for a moment. Exhausted and frustrated, she turns away and walks out of the gym. Out of the corner of his eyes, Keith notes her departure and smiles to himself once more as he continues his run.

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Walking down the hallway toward the Earth Kingdom dining room, Hunk half listens to Lance talking while the other half of his attention goes over his time with Princess Kaya the night before. He smiles to himself then stops when he hears, "Are you even listening to me, or am I talking just to listen to the sound of my own voice?"

"Just to listen to yourself…" retorts the big man as he walks past a disgruntled Lance and into the dining room. They find the three princesses and Prince Audric already seated at the table. Kaya sits at the end of the table with her son to her only available side. She smiles warmly at him from across the table as he moves around the room. He sits down next to Princess Maia only to earn a glare from Lance as he sits on the other side next to Sophia.

"We were just discussing our departure," the princess states then looks at her son, "Audric, your fork is there for a reason."

The young prince groans but picks up his fork and begins using it instead of his fingers. Ignoring him, Kaya looks back at Hunk, "After breakfast there is one or two more things I need to attend to then we can depart."

At Hunk's nod, she turns her attention back to Maia, "I have a favor to ask."

The Fire Kingdom princess sets down her glass of juice to turn her attention to the other woman, "Yes?"

"I understand…" she clears her throat uncomfortably as she continues, "that not only have you mastered your own magic, you are now teaching Princess Allura of Storm Kingdom."

"Yes?" replies Maia, her tone a little defensive.

Glancing at her sister to find her gazing at her curiously, Kaya sighs but decides to get it all out, "I need someone to help Audric, the last remaining mage here refuses to teach him…"

"I am not surprised," Maia interrupts her, "That is why my father chose to teach Malik and I himself. He knew the mages would refuse to educate me because they consider women unworthy of magic." She smiles softly so as not to offend, "I can imagine that they would consider your son's background to be similar." She notices Kaya turning slightly red in the face and quickly answers her, "I would be honored to teach your son."

"Teach me what?"

Maia turns to the young prince to answer him, "How to use magic."

His eyes light up with excitement, "Really?"

"Yes," she replies but quickly adds, "There are rules when it comes to magic. You will have to learn those before I will teach you something that could be dangerous to others." As the boy continues to look excited, Maia looks at the other two, "I am willing to teach you both as well, if you are willing to learn."

Sophia and Kaya look at each other but before they can answer, Audric breaks up the silence, "Whoa…I did not think women were allowed to do magic."

Smiling at the young boy, Maia holds up her hand and ignites it with fire. As his eyes grow large with wonder, she tells him, "At one time women of Arus were not allowed to use magic. But that time is gone." The fire within her hand extinguishes, "I will teach anyone who wishes to learn."

"It is something I will have to think about…"

Maia turns to find Sophia studying her closely as she adds, "It is simply something that goes against everything we have ever been taught thus far." Maia nods to her then looks over to find Lance staring at her intently. She looks away from him to pick up her juice and once again sips it.

Her mind flowing with the problems that will be fixed and the possibilities she never before contemplated, Kaya looks across the table to find Hunk once again smiling at her. He winks then picks up his fork and starts eating.

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Waking from her mid-morning nap, Allura yawns and rubs at her eyes. Sitting up, she grimaces at the soreness in her muscles. Glancing in the mirror to find her hair in a tangled mess about her head, she grimaces and rises from the bed, making her way to the bathroom. She comes out thirty minutes later with a towel wrapped around her, her wet hair hanging down her back. A knock at the door has her looking toward it, "Yes?"

The door opens to reveal the commander, who stops mid-step then turns around to give her his back, "Princess, why did you ask me to come in when you aren't properly clothed?"

Rolling her eyes at him, she picks up her robe off her bed and slips it on. Tying the sash, Allura states, "Very well, I am properly covered. What do you need?"

Keith turns around to look at her then sighs when he sees the robe. "Didn't Coran ever teach you about modesty?"

She walks over to her dressing table, picks up her brush and starts working on the tangles in her hair as she smartly retorts, "No, there was not time between 'Politics 101' and 'How to rule a country'. What do you need Commander?"

Resisting the urge to smile at her tone, he informs her, "Lance just reported in, they anticipate leaving within the next hour and should be here in time for lunch."

A bright smile crosses Allura's face as she pauses in the brushing, "That is good news. I shall be sure to greet them properly and speak with the kitchen staff about the meal."

Nodding to her, he asks his next question, "How do you feel?"

"I am fine."

He watches her closely for a moment then asks, "No soreness then?"

Allura smiles at him, "A little when I first woke up, but I feel much better after my shower."

"Well, stretch a little bit more and drink plenty of water…"

"Yes, Sven filled me in before I left the gym," she interjects.

"Good," Keith replies as then adds, "I'll leave you to dress then. See you at lunch."

"See you at lunch," Allura replies as she watches him leave the room. She moves over to her dresser to pull out some clothing. An amused smile slowly crosses her face as she thinks about the commander and his prudishness.

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An hour later, Maia picks up her overnight bag and moves to the door. Opening it, she jumps back with her hand to her chest as Lance stands there with his hand raised, poised to knock. He lowers it slowly as he neutrally asks, "Ready to go?"

She nods shortly to him then tries to move forward, however, he does not clear the doorway. Stopping, Maia looks back at him, her eyebrow raised in question.

Lance sighs as he says, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pushed you last night for something you apparently aren't ready for."

Surprised, Maia starts to open her mouth only for him to reach forward, "I'll take your bag…" She hands it to him then watches as he turns around and walks out of the door. Still a bit surprised, she follows him.

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Hunk stands beside his lion checking over a panel on the chest, but looks over as Lance and Maia come out of the compound, moving toward him. The lieutenant holds both his overnight bag and the princess' in his hands as he approaches the big man, "Ready to go?"

"Yes, just waiting for Princess Kaya and Prince Audric."

Lance glances back at the doors to the compound and sighs, "Hope they come out soon." He glances at Maia then states, "I'll just put these in the lion…"

As he walks away, Maia studies his firm backside with each step. She jumps a bit as Hunk says, "It was nice of you to agree to teach Audric magic. Princess Kaya told me last night how the mage refused to teach him."

"So you put that idea into her head…" guesses Maia as she turns to look at him. As he flushes a bright red with embarrassment, the princess laughs, "It is all right. I am glad she asked. I tire of the old men and their views that women are worth naught but the children they can produce."

Hunk nods to her then looks over to the door suddenly. Maia glances over to find Princess Kaya and her son walking toward them, followed by two men carrying bags. She looks back at the big man to find his eyes alight with happiness and a smile on his face as he looks over at the princess. Smiling to herself, Maia looks back at Kaya just as she finishes approaching them to ask, "Are you ready to leave?"

"Yes," she replies then smiles up at Hunk, "Who do we ride with?"

"With me," the big man replies as Lance walks up, not giving him a chance to intercede.

"Great!" Audric states as he looks excitedly over at the Yellow lion.

Kaya smiles down at her son then looks back at Hunk, "Well, if you will but lead the way."

Clearing his throat, Lance steps forward, "Let me help you with the bags…" He takes two bags from one of the men, leaving Hunk to take the last one. He holds it in his hand then sticks out his elbow to Kaya, "We are on our way then."

The smile stays on her face as she takes the proffered arm then takes Audric's hand as they walk toward the lion. Standing behind them, Maia watches the three of them walking together with a smile on her face. She barely notices Lance rejoining her as he asks, "What are you smiling about?"

Maia glances at him then gestures to the threesome as they climb their way up into the lion. "I think Kaya has found someone to make the bad memories go away."

Looking over to find Hunk pulling up Kaya by her waist into the lion, both of them blushing, Lance turns back to Maia, "Perhaps. What will make your bad memories go away?"

The smile falls off her face as she glares at him then turns away to walk over to Red lion. Sighing, Lance follows her.

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Waiting in the entrance of the underground lion's den, Allura tries to stand still as Coran quietly tells her what he knows about the background of Princess Kaya and Earth Kingdom. He smiles to himself when she fidgets then abruptly stops and stands still once more. Chuckling he says, "You never could stand still for very long…"

He hears the softly expelled snort of derision then she retorts, "I see no reason to stand still when I have many things to do and not enough time in a day to do them all as it is."

"Yes, but to fidget when in front of a possible enemy is to show weakness," the advisor carefully tells her.

Allura turns her head to stare at him in irritation, "Do you honestly expect me to believe that Princess Kaya will be an enemy?"

"No, but there will come a time when you will stand in front of an enemy, whether a dangerous one or political one. On that day, I do not want you at a disadvantage simply because you could not rein in your impatience and appear calm." Coran smiles at her then crosses his arms behind him. "Princess, you have learned much, but you still have more to learn."

"So you like to keep reminding me," retorts Allura as she crosses her arms in front of her chest.

Coran opens his mouth to respond but stops when he notices the others arriving. He nods to the commander and his remaining men in greeting then listens as Keith states, "They should be arriving soon. Lance radioed in that they were leaving."

"That is good," replies the advisor then notices the furtive glance Keith sends toward the princess.

Noting Allura looks fine and shows no signs of pain from their morning workout, Keith looks back at the advisor only for the older man to arch an eyebrow at him in question. Feeling himself blushing, the commander clears his throat then moves farther into the lion's den.

They hear the echoing sound of the cavern doors opening then a moment later both lions appear. Soon, the lions are in lying positions in the crowded cavern and each man escorts out a princess. Allura smiles at Maia in greeting and then turns her attention onto the new arrivals. Her eyes widen slightly at the sight of the young boy holding the Earth Kingdom princess' hand as they move toward them, but she shows no reaction to him as she gives her greeting, "Princess Kaya, I am so glad you consented to help us." She gestures to the men around her, who nod to the princess in turn as they are introduced, "This is my advisor, Coran Montrane. Commander Keith Kogane of Galaxy Garrison, his second-in-command, Lieutenant-Commander Sven Holgersson and Private Pidge Stoker."

Kaya nods to the men then notices the princess looking down at her son curiously. "Please, just call me Kaya," she says to the group then smiles as she directs the attention to the boy at her side, "This is Prince Audric, my son."

She watches the Storm Kingdom princess study her son for a moment more then look directly into her eyes as she states, "You are both most welcome," without a hint of rancor. A warm smile is on her face a moment later as Allura continues, "We have prepared a luncheon, unless you would like to be shown to your rooms to refresh yourselves first?"

"Mother, I am hungry…"

The men surrounding them laugh as Kaya gives her son an embarrassed look. Allura shares an amused glance with Maia then clears her throat to gain the other princess' attention, "Well, I am sure we can see to Audric's hunger."

Kaya smiles her thanks then follows the younger woman and Princess Maia from the cavern. She glances back to find Hunk walking behind her and smiles at the reassuring sight of him. He returns the smile then she faces forward again as they walk into the Storm Kingdom compound.

From behind, Keith notices the smile the princess gives Hunk and feels a smile crossing his own face as he notices Hunk straighten his posture as he walks. Shaking his head, he glances over at Lance then Sven. Both men share rueful smiles with him, having noticed the interaction between the private and the princess. Keith gestures for them to slow their step and as the others enter the compound, then quietly asks Lance, "What is the story with the princess and her son?"

Lance sighs then tells the other two men the story the princess had told them. He finishes, "She loves the boy…doesn't blame him for the circumstances of his birth. That is more than most women in her position would feel."

"Yes, a lot of them would either have abortions or abandon the child after birth," interjects Sven.

"I know…" sighs the commander. He gestures to them, "We better catch up before we missed."

Nodding to him, Lance turns to walk into the compound with the other two men following behind him.

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After lunch, Kaya holds her son's hand as they follow Allura down to a conference room. They sit around the table as the commander moves to stand near the head. He leans over a chair as he states, "Well, we now have three out of five offspring of the kings of Arus." Kaya watches him smile at her and Audric then he looks back over at the others, "Onto the next phase, visiting Wind Kingdom."

Kaya sits quietly as they begin discussing who would go. She listens as Pidge is nominated, simply because he is the pilot of the Green lion. She looks up when Allura finally says, "I should stay behind." The princess smiles as she adds, "I should not leave my guests."

The commander nods then looks over at the last princess, "Maia, if you don't mind going out again?"

"Not in the least," she responds but looks a bit concerned, "I do not know anyone in Wind Kingdom however."

Resisting the urge to speak, Kaya looks over as Lance states, "Well, looks like it will be Pidge, Maia and I…"

Kaya resists the urge to laugh as the other princess rolls her eyes while making a face. She glances over to find Princess Allura smothering her own smile then asks, "Well, when do you plan to leave?"

"As soon as possible…" Keith starts to say only for Maia to override him, "Tomorrow morning. I need to return to my home and make sure everything is going well in my absence."

She watches the commander's face redden slightly and his lips thin in irritation before he replies, "Very well. I want all of you to leave for Wind Kingdom early. We need to finish this so we can repair Voltron's spirit before Doom attacks again."

"Very well." She glances over at Allura to say, "I shall come early and we can have a lesson before I leave." At her nod, Maia stands up and looks over at Lance and Pidge, "I will see you both by the lions in the morning then." She disappears in a flash of light a moment later, leaving Kaya resisting the urge to let her mouth drop open. She knew that Maia had mastered her magic, but did not realize the woman knew how to vanish as well.

She looks over as Allura stands then gestures toward her guests with a smile on her face, "Seems I better show you two where you will be sleeping so Audric can finish his nap."

Looking down to find her son asleep at the table, with his head resting on his arms, Kaya blushes as she looks back at the other woman. Allura is trying not to laugh as she states, "I know, lunch was very good and sleep inducing apparently."

Finding herself smiling back, Kaya leans over her son to shake him awake only for Hunk to touch her arm to stop her, "I will carry him."

Moving back, she watches as the big man easily picks up Audric, settles him against his shoulder then looks over at Allura, "Where are they staying?"

"I spoke to one of the maids during lunch, she readied their rooms. I shall show you the way."

Kaya stands up and follows the other two out of the room.

Once the door closes behind them, Keith looks over at the rest, "Let's go over the visit to Wind Kingdom and what you found out about Earth Kingdom's resources." Lance groans for a moment then leans back in the chair as the discussions begin.

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Reaching their assigned rooms, Allura presses the button to open the door then steps back as Hunk walks in with Audric. Kaya smiles her thanks as she follows them in. Allura steps in behind them and watches the big man lower the boy onto the bed as Kaya pulls the blankets up over him. They all walk back out of the room a moment later. Once the door closes, Allura informs her, "Your room is right next door. I do not know if you noticed, but there is an adjoining door between the two."

"Thank you," Kaya replies then looks over at Hunk for a moment.

He smiles at her then looks up to find Allura watching him closely. Flushing, he clears his throat then says, "I had best get back in case Keith wants to meet about something else." His eyes linger over Kaya a moment more before he adds, "See you at dinner," then walks away.

Allura smiles as Kaya watches him walk away before turning her attention back to her. She watches a slight flush crawl up the other woman's cheeks as Allura notes, "I see that you and Hunk have become friends already."

Refusing to comment, Kaya simply nods then asks, "Would I be able to get a tour? I would like to better know my way around."

"Of course," replies the Storm Kingdom princess. She starts down the hallway as she says, "After the tour, you can rest if you like or perhaps we can speak more at length. I am afraid I know very little about Earth Kingdom."

Smiling, Kaya nods to her, "And I know very little of Storm Kingdom."

"Well, we both have much to share then," states Allura as she takes the other princess by the arm then leads her down the hallway.


	21. Chapter 21

I make no claims to Voltron or any WEP characters.

Origins: A Legend Unfolds: Chapter 21

The afternoon passes by quickly. It seems like only a short time had passed before it is evening and they gather for dinner. Kaya looks about the dining table, her eyes closely studying each member of the Garrison squad. She pauses on the last one and smiles at him when Hunk notices her regard. He winks at her in return then turns back to his conversation with Pidge.

"Mother, what are we going to do tomorrow?"

Her son's question draws her attention to him as she answers, "I am not entirely sure. However, we will work on your lessons and perhaps use the gym they have here so you can run and play."

The prince glances sideways at Hunk as he asks, "Could I go see the lions again?"

Kaya looks over to find the commander watching them closely as Hunk smiles down at him to answer, "When I am off duty and if you're mother says it is all right, I can show you the lions again." His gentle eyes move to her as Kaya smiles then looks down at Audric's hopeful gaze, "If you behave and complete your lessons."

He smiles brightly at her then goes back to his dinner. Kaya looks back over to find the commander smiling at her son as well before he turns his attention back to his dinner. Feeling strangely relaxed around this group of Earthmen, the princess turns her gaze to find Allura watching the commander out of the corner of her eye as well. She quickly looks away from him when he glances her way then turns to her advisor to ask him a question to cover the fact. Feeling a smile spreading across her face, Kaya turns her attention back to her dinner as the various conversations around the room continue.

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After dinner, Allura looks across the dining room table at Kaya, "I understand you have a very nice recreation room at Earth Kingdom." At the other woman's nod, she sighs, "We do not have room for one here unfortunately. However, there is the conference room. We can go in there to talk…"

"Do you have any games?"

Allura shakes her head, "I am sorry Audric. We do not have many children here at the compound, so do not keep much of that here."

The prince looks a bit disappointed then Pidge speaks, "Well, I brought a gaming unit with me from Earth. I am sure we can hook it up in the conference room."

"Gaming unit?" asks Kaya.

"Yes, video games. Some are educational, some are just for fun," explains Pidge, suddenly look a little nervous.

"I am sure that will be all right," Kaya says as she looks over to find her son looking excited. "Audric…" He turns his attention to her and she states, "You may play for thirty minutes then you will retire to our rooms for the night, all right?"

The young prince looks a bit disappointed but nods as he replies, "Very well."

Allura stands up, "Well, shall we go then?"

As the group starts to rise, Keith says, "Princess, I think I'll pass and return to my room to finish some reports." Lance and Sven chime in as well with their own work that needs attention. Keith smiles over at Kaya, "So we will say good evening then."

She nods to him then looks over to see the slightly disappointed look on Allura's face as the three men leave before she masks it with a smile in her direction, "Well, follow me then."

Kaya starts to walk around the table then pauses as Hunk approaches her and holds out his arm. She smiles up at him as she takes it then looks over as Audric takes his other hand. They follow Allura as they walk out of the room together. Coran watches them go with a smile on his face as he stops Pidge, "I will be in the control room if I am needed." The younger man nods to him then strolls out of the room behind the others.

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An hour later, Kaya sighs as she pauses in her conversation with Allura to look over at the three males in the room still playing their game. It had taken Pidge a little time to set up the game then he showed Hunk and Audric how to play. Kaya had agreed to allow them a little more time to play, extending her original rule of only thirty minutes. They are laughing as Pidge's character blows up and turns a bright shade of blue, looking more like a blueberry than the elf character he is playing. She sighs as she states, "I think it is past time for Audric to go to bed."

"Aww, Mother," Audric whines as he looks over at her. As she arches an eyebrow at him, he finally sighs in acceptance then sets the game controller down, "Very well."

They stand up as Allura says, "Good night, I hope you both sleep well. I will see you in the morning."

Kaya smiles at her as Hunk stands up as well, "I can escort you two to your room before heading for my own."

"That would be very kind of you," the princess replies as he leads Audric around the table.

She waves at Pidge then follows the other two out of the room. Taking Hunk's elbow, they walk in companionable silence until they reach the bedrooms. Kaya opens the door to Audric's room then says, "Please go change into your pajamas. I will be there in a moment to tuck you in."

Audric nods then smiles up at Hunk, "Good night!"

The big man returns the smile and musses up the boy's hair as he replies, "Good night Audric, sleep well." He waits until the door closes behind him then smiles warmly at the princess, "I hope you sleep well too."

Kaya returns the smile then leans up on her tiptoes as she pulls on his arm so he bends slightly toward her. She kisses him on the cheek as she says, "Sleep well, Tsuyoshi."

As she steps back, Hunk reaches down to caress her cheek, "Good night…Kaya."

Still smiling, the princess cups his hand with her own then turns her face to place a kiss on his palm. She moves away and opens the door to Audric's room, smiles at Hunk once more then closes it. The private smiles broadly to himself as he turns away to walk down the hall to his own room.

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_Her bright, blue eyes shine with tears as she holds a hand out to him. Taking a step closer to her, he tries to grab her hand only for it to disappear._ Opening his eyes, Sven groans as he glances over at the clock and realizes he needs to rise soon anyway. Throwing back the blankets, he sits along the side of the bed and holds his head in his hands as his mind goes over the latest dream.

His irritation at the inability to discover more about the woman has him rising quickly and stomping across the room to his bathroom. He slams his hand on the button to the door and quickly moves inside. His clothing is off a moment later and he steps into the shower. Turning the water handle over to make it as hot as he can stand it, he steps into the stream of water and lets it run over his body.

Pushing his head under the spray, Sven sighs as the hot water digs into the sore muscles of his neck and back. Turning around, he wets his hair then grabs the shampoo bottle. He drops it a moment later as a scene flashes through his mind.

_She runs into the room he is standing in and stops when she sees him. Rushing toward him, she pleads, "Save me…he is coming." Tears run down her cheeks as she cries, "He will hurt me again. He enjoys hurting me…"_

"_Tell me where you are!" demands Sven, "I can't help you if I can't find you!"_

_The young woman sobs as she stutters, "Pol…lux…" then stops and turns, "He is here!" She looks back at him one more time, her eyes full of terror then she disappears._

Opening his eyes, Sven finds himself sitting on the floor of his shower. The ball of light appears in his bathroom once more, "Save her…" then disappears.

Swearing broadly, the Norwegian rises from the floor, turns off the water then quickly grabs a towel and wraps it around his waist as he rushes out of his bathroom.

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Walking out of his bathroom, Keith stifles a yawn as he makes his way over the dresser. He slowly pulls out a pair of underwear, puts them on then opens a drawer containing his pants. He starts to pull them on when his bedroom door suddenly opens.

"What the…" Keith finishes yanking his pants up into place as Sven walks into his room with only a towel wrapped around his waist. The Norwegian is obviously agitated as he demands, "We need to go to Pollux…today!"

Confused, the commander reminds him, "But Pidge and Lance are going to Wind Kingdom…"

"NO!" exclaims Sven as he shakes his head, "We need to leave for Pollux…today!"

Grabbing onto his shoulders, Keith says, "Calm down Sven. Just tell me what's going on?"

He watches the slightly panicked look in his friend's eyes recede and he pulls away to sit down on Keith's bed, "The dreams I've been having…the visions of that woman. I just had another one!"

"But if it's only a dream…"

Sven stands up, once again agitated, "It isn't! Remember, the key holder from Water Kingdom, it told me that she is a daughter of Arus and needs me to save her." He grabs onto Keith's arm, "She finally told me she's on Pollux. Please trust me on this. We need to go to Pollux today."

The commander studies his friend closely for a moment then nods, "Very well, I'll inform the others of the change." He glances down at the towel covering his friend and smiles back at him, "You better change into something a little more formal. We'll leave after breakfast."

Nodding, Sven turns to walk out of the room as he says, "Thanks Keith."

Sighing, the commander goes to his closet and pulls out a shirt while thinking, _'I better finish getting dressed then go talk to Princess and Coran to alert them to the change…'_

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"But what of the visit to Wind Kingdom?" asks Allura after Keith finishes telling her about the change of plans. She watches him sigh, run his hands through his hair then look at her again to reply, "We can put that one off until we return." He stops for a moment then adds, "I've never seen Sven like this before. He is always the calm one, even in the most terrifying situations. So to have him come to me like this…"

"This vision he saw…" the advisor crosses his arms while sitting back in his chair, "was it a true vision or only some dream?" At the confused look on the commander's face, he adds, "Do Earthlings typically have visions?"

Keith shrugs then answers, "I'm not sure, but I have to believe him when he tells me it is a vision. He mentioned the key holder of Water Kingdom telling him…"

"The spirit of King Byron gave him these visions?" Coran stands up quickly and glances back at the princess. She looks at him in askance and the advisor sighs as he begins pacing the room while he thinks. He finally pauses and looks at the other two, "The mark that was placed on Sven's hand must be a link between him and the spirit of King Byron. The king is showing Sven these images in hopes of saving someone. The question is, who?"

"Sven didn't say a name. I don't think he knows it."

"But she is on Pollux?" asks the princess. At the commander's nod, she turns to her advisor, "I agree Coran. We should leave today."

The advisor stands as he nods, "Yes, but Princess, you must appear as your station dictates."

"But Coran, we need to hurry," Allura replies indignantly, "We must reach Pollux as soon as possible to help this girl."

"Highness, we do not know who she is. What we do know is that you will have to approach your uncle, who is king there. You cannot go in your current clothing. It would be an insult," explains Coran staunchly.

She makes a face at him as she inquires, "The entire outfit?"

At his nod, Allura groans, "But those dresses are so uncomfortable. I can barely move, much less breathe."

"If your father had not died Highness, you would be wearing one on a daily basis." He gestures to her jumpsuit, "Your current clothing would have been unacceptable."

"Yes, yes…I know. We have had this discussion before," snorts Allura as she turns back to Keith.

He looks at her in askance as she states, "I need to change before we can leave." She looks over at Coran to give him a disgusted look as she adds, "It will take me about an hour to prepare…"

Deciding not to argue with her, Keith nods, "Very well, we will meet in the control room in an hour." He looks back at the advisor, "I will inform my men of the change." At his nod, the commander turns around and leaves the room.

Allura looks over at the older man only to have him lift an eyebrow at her. Groaning, she starts for the door, "I know, I know, go change into a dress and look like a 'proper' princess for my uncle." She keeps muttering as she walks out of the room. Coran chuckles as he settles back into his chair once more.

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Irritated as she rolls another curler into her hair, Allura grumbles under her breath about the stupidity of trying to force straight hair into curls. She shoves a pin into the curler then picks up another one. A light flashes in the room and Allura pauses to look back at Maia. The other princess arches an eyebrow at her as takes in the undergarments and rollers in Allura's hair as she states, "You are a little under dressed for practicing magic…"

Allura groans as she says, "I forgot to contact you…"

"What is happening?" asks Maia.

"Sven had a vision of a woman on Pollux that needs our help. The spirit of my grandfather sent it to him. So we are leaving for Pollux today," explains Allura as she continues to put rollers in her hair.

Nodding, Maia looks back at her curiously as she asks, "So what are you doing?"

Snorting, Allura shoves a pin into another curler as she states, "I have to look my station when we go. I cannot appear before my uncle in my customary clothing. It would be an insult."

Laughter erupts out of Maia as her cousin accidently drops the next roller and picks it up while swearing. Taking a step toward her, Maia asks, "Where is your ladies' maid?"

"I do not have one…" she replies as she picks up another dropped roller from the floor and puts it back onto the steaming unit. As she grabs another one, Allura adds, "I so rarely dress like this that I do not need one. Normally I would ask Luella to help me, but she is already so busy today." She swears again as another roller slips out of her hands then sits back in frustration, "This is hopeless. I have less than an hour until we leave."

Maia steps forward and picks up the faller roller. She warms it in her hand then takes Allura's hair with her other hand and starts to roll it up for her, "I will help you…" As she continues wrapping the hair in curlers, she asks, "This woman on Pollux that needs help. What was happening to her?"

Grabbing a cheek brush, Allura works on putting on some makeup as she replies, "I do not know. The only thing the commander told me was that she needed help." Pausing, she looks back at her cousin in the mirror, "Why do you ask?"

"If it may be dangerous, perhaps I should go instead. I have better control of my magic," suggests Maia as she continues putting in the rollers.

"No." replies Allura firmly. "This is _my_ _uncle_; it must be I that goes."

Maia sighs then lays a hand on the other princess' shoulder, "Very well, just be very careful." At the younger woman's nod, Maia goes back to putting curlers into her hair. She glances back at the dress hanging off to one side when finished and arches an eyebrow at her, "Pink?"

"I know, I hate that color," says Allura as she finishes her makeup. She glances over at the awaiting dress as well then snorts, "Coran said it is appropriate for a woman of my position."

"Young and virginal…" laughs Maia as she walks over to look at the dress closer. Her eyes shine with merriment as she states, "My mother used to try to dress me in pink as well. It clashed horribly with my hair and I argued with her about it all the time."

"Oh?" asks Allura as she stands to join her cousin.

"Yes, she finally stopped when I burned one of them with a fireball…"

Laughter erupts out of Allura at the image in her head of Maia throwing a fireball at the detested dress. "What happened?"

"My father chastised me in front of my mother for using my magic in a way that was unacceptable." Her eyes shine with laughter as she adds, "When my mother left the room, he leaned over and whispered that at least it was the pink dress I burned and not the blue. He could not stand that color on me either."

Both women laugh together as Allura walks over to her bed and starts to pull on stockings. She pauses a moment in thought then says, "I wonder what the commander will think of the dress?" She reddens as she looks back at Maia, "I mean, he has only ever seen me in my pantsuit…"

Maia smiles knowingly at her, "It is all right to hope a man finds you attractive looking." Her eyes twinkle again, "Especially a man as handsome as the commander."

Nodding, Allura finishes pulling on her stockings as she asks, "What of the lieutenant?"

"What about him?" asks Maia in a suddenly neutral voice as she sits down on the bed next to her cousin.

"He is also handsome and seems to like you." Allura looks sideways at her cousin and adds, "And there are times I have seen you studying him."

Feeling her own cheeks reddening, Maia shrugs nonchalantly as she replies, "I will admit he is easy on the eyes. On too many eyes…" Her tone changes slightly to one of indignation as she adds, "I have noticed others looking his way as well. Servants smile at him as if…" she stops then looks away for a moment.

"He simply flirts with them Maia," says Allura softly, "no more than that."

"How do you know?" demands the other princess.

"I have been keeping tabs on them since they arrived," responds Allura nonchalantly. She reaches over to touch her cousin's arm, "None of them have tried to take advantage of the women. They smile at them, try to charm them, but no more than that."

"Well, they have only been here a few days," states Maia as she crosses her arms. She glances over at the clock then states, "You better finish getting ready if you are going to be on time…"

Allura looks at the clock as well and gasps, "Please, help me get into the dress." As she moves across the room and pulls the dress off the hook, Maia rises from the bed and goes to help her.

xxxxxxxxxx

Thirty minutes later, Keith is pacing the control room as he glances at his watch. He looks back up at the console where the advisor sits to demand, "How long can it take to change into a dress, Coran?"

The chair turns as the older man replies, "It is not just the dress, Commander. Much goes into preparing to visit other royalty. Her everyday pantsuits are simply improper."

They hear a giggling sound from off to the side. Prince Audric stands next to Hunk and smiles broadly as he informs the commander, "You should see my mother when she is getting ready. She puts these curlers in her hair and has to put on these silly looking pantaloons to keep her legs warm under the dress…"

"Audric!"

He cringes as his mother swiftly walks into the room, her face red with anger as she demands, "Exactly what do you think you are telling these men?"

Hunk steps in front while pushing the boy behind him, "He meant no harm, Princess Kaya. He was simply explaining to the commander what could be taking Princess Allura so long."

She narrows her eyes at him as she retorts, "He does not need to inform you of what I wear under my dress to do so."

The big man clears his throat and nods in agreement as he replies, "He is simply young and inexperienced. I am sure he won't make a mistake like that again."

"You better believe he will not," Kaya states as she walks around him to glare directly at her son, "Because if he does, he will have trouble sitting down for the rest of the day."

His eyes are to the floor as Audric quietly replies, "I am sorry Mother."

She nods then looks back up to find Hunk trying to smile at her in apology. Kaya glares at him once more, "And you, Private Garrett, will not try to protect my son from me when he is misbehaving and in need of punishment."

With his cheeks reddening, Hunk nods as he whispers, "I am sorry Princess Kaya. It won't happen again."

"See that it does not," she snorts then turns to find Sven, Lance and Pidge trying very hard to hide their amusement.

Keith looks back at the advisor to see him hiding his amused smile as well. The older man clears his throat then says, "Commander, I did have a thought. When approaching Planet Pollux, you had best state you represent the Voltron Force of Planet Arus and not Galaxy Garrison."

"Voltron Force?" asks the commander.

"Yes, the name King Alfor gave you and the other men, in case you missed it." Coran smiles at him, "I think it is fitting." As Keith continues to look at him in question, he adds, "It took ten years for Garrison to finally agree to send us help. If Pollux has requested aid of Garrison and have been turned down as often as we had been, they may not take too kindly to your visit."

"I understand," Keith replies as he glances back at the other men, "Voltron Force it is."

He catches motion out of the corner of his eye and looks toward the door just in time to see Princess Allura walk into the room with Princess Maia, who is carrying a bag. He barely notices the other woman as his breath catches in his throat. Allura walks toward him dressed in a pink gown with a white collar, the bottom of the skirt flowing to the floor. A circlet, denoting her station, sits upon her forehead with a matching necklace on her neck. Her hair is pulled back from her face in braids with the long, blonde length hanging down her back in ringlets. Keith swallows hard against lump he feels in his throat even as he feels himself harden with need.

She smiles at him as she finishes approaching him and asks, "How do I look?"

Clearing his throat, he replies, "Like a princess," then turns away from her to look at the advisor. The man still has an amused smile on his face. Coran nods to him then asks, "Are you ready to depart?"

"Yes…yes…" Keith turns again to find Maia and Allura sharing a smile as well. Becoming irritated with them, he looks over at Sven to state, "Let's get going. Princess Allura will ride with me in Black lion."

Sven nods to him then starts for the dais as Coran lifts it up for him. As he disappears down his chute to the launch system, Keith turns back toward Allura, "We will walk out to Black lion." His eyes float down her dress and he clears his throat, "I wouldn't want your dress to be ruined should it catch on something…" He looks back up at her to find her smiling again as she holds out her hand to him, "As you will, Commander."

He returns the smile then bends down to pick up the bag at his feet. Standing back up, he finds Maia holding one out to him as well. Taking it, Keith nods to her then takes Allura's outstretched hand. She moves her fingers to his forearm then follows him as he leads her out of the room.

Maia watches them go then looks over to Kaya, "Since my trip has been delayed and everything in Fire Kingdom is taken care of for the day, I could spend some time with Audric if you wish."

The prince looks excitedly from his mother to Maia, "You will teach me magic?"

"Yes," she replies as she smiles down at him. "You will remember what I said about rules?"

"Yes!" the prince responds, his excitement still palpable.

Looking back at his mother, Maia asks, "You could join us as well."

Kaya looks over at Hunk, who gives her an encouraging smile and nods at her. Taking a deep breath, she finally looks back at the other woman to say, "I think I shall."

Smiling, Maia gestures to them then leads the way out of the room. The men in the room watch them go then Coran states, "I will stay in control. I believe some of you have patrol?"

"Yes," replies Hunk, "Pidge and I are taking Sven and Keith's place." He gestures to the younger man, who turns and leaves the room. Hunk glances over at Lance to say, "Keep an eye on Kaya and Audric for me?"

Lance arches an eyebrow at him but nods. Hunk moves away from him then heads for his chute and Yellow lion. Nodding to the advisor, Lance turns around and leaves the control room.


	22. Chapter 22

Well, we are reaching the middle of the story where things are going to start to get interesting. For that reason, next chapter the rating will go up to M. For those that haven't subscribed to alerts, you will have to look for me there next week.

Thanks to the reviewers and those who may just be quietly enjoying the story. The number of visitors definitely outnumbers the reviewers but that is all right. Enjoy!

Mertz

I make no claims to Voltron or any WEP characters.

Origins: A Legend Unfolds: Chapter 22

Sitting in the side seat two hours later, Allura continues to study the commander's profile. Her eyes move from the strong, set chin to the soft looking, black hair that barely touches his shoulders. Her eyes continue to move down his body. Admiring the well-muscled arm as he leans forward to adjust the controls, she sighs lightly then reddens when he turns her way to ask, "Are you all right?"

"Yes, I am just tired of sitting," she explains as she looks away from him to look at the blackness of space on the monitor. "How much longer before we reach Pollux?"

He smiles at her for a moment then turns back to the screens, "Well, luckily the planet is currently the closest it gets to Arus during its rotation. We should be there in another thirty minutes."

She fidgets in her seat a bit more trying to get comfortable. Keith watches her out of the corner of his eye for a moment then turns his head once more, "Are you sure you're all right?"

Allura looks into his eyes and becomes caught in his gaze. She feels her heart beating faster and her breath coming quicker as her body reacts to him. Breaking the eye contact, she forces herself to look down at the dress and shifts the skirt around while replying, "Yes, it is simply the corset I must wear with this dress. It cuts into my sides and makes it hard to sit for long periods of time."

Fighting against a smile, Keith solemnly agrees, "Must be terribly uncomfortable."

She looks up at him again and nods, "It is. I do not know how women used to wear them all the time."

He looks away to keep from laughing at the serious look on her face. Her question pulls his attention back, "Do Earth women have to wear them?"

Quiet laughter finally escapes him as he looks over at her, "Not since Victorian times…" At the confused look on Allura's face, he adds, "About four hundred years ago."

She immediately looks indignant, "And I still have to wear them? I will have to have words with Coran when we return…"

Keith turns to look back out the monitor to hide his silent laughter as Allura continues to rant about the injustice of having to wear a corset when women from Earth had the intelligence to stop wearing them over four hundred years ago. He stops when his comm. unit beeps and flips the video switch to see Sven on his side monitor. His eyes shine with anxiety as he states, "We are getting close to Pollux. We should contact them so they don't think we are the enemy."

"Yes. I'll do that now," replies Keith as he studies his friend for a moment. The worry lines continue to crease his forehead as the other man stares forward once more. The monitor turns off a moment later and Keith sighs.

"Is he all right?"

Looking at the princess again, Keith says, "Yes, but I've never seen him like this before. It does worry me…" Shaking off the thought, he hits a button on the communication controls then calls out, "This is Commander Keith Kogane of the Voltron Force from Planet Arus contacting Planet Pollux. We request permission to land on your planet."

"State your business," comes the response.

He looks back at Allura, who nods to him. Taking a deep breath and releasing it slowly, he replies, "Princess Allura of Storm Kingdom on Planet Arus would like to speak with her uncle, King Cova and is requesting an audience."

For several long moments, there is no response. Starting to feel nervous about it, Keith is about to turn the lion around when they finally hear a different voice state, "King Cova would welcome a visit from his niece, the Princess of Arus. We are sending out a ship to guide you in. Once you are on the ground, the king's second-in-command will lead the princess to the king. Pollux out."

"Well, that sounds promising," says Allura, sounding profoundly relieved.

Keith cannot shake off the nervousness he feels as he watches a single ship approach them then turn about to lead the way down to the planet's surface. Hitting his comm. unit again, the commander hits the encryption button as he tells Sven, "Something about this doesn't feel right to me. Be on your guard."

The other man nods to him then the monitor goes black once more. From the side, he hears the princess say, "What do you mean?"

Looking at her once more, Keith informs her, "I have long since learned to listen to my instincts, and right now they are screaming at me to turn around and leave."

As Allura opens her mouth to argue with him, he overrides her, "We will go down there Princess, but you will not leave my side for a single moment. Be watchful of everything going on around us and once we leave this lion, you will follow any order I give you. If I order you to run and leave me behind, you will do so."

She stares at him for a moment, taking in the stiffness of his body and the intensity of his gaze as he adds, "Promise me Allura, or I will turn us around now."

Nodding to him, Allura replies, "I understand."

"I will keep you safe Princess," states Keith as he turns back to watch his monitor once more.

Allura looks at the monitor as well, watching as the planet in front of them becomes larger on the screen. Her tension returns and the too tight corset reminds her of her other discomforts as Keith follows the Polluxian ship to the ground.

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Landing the Black lion on the tarmac as instructed, Keith pulls the key out of lock then stands up and stretches. His eyes move over the princess as she stands and stretches as well. She pats her hair to make sure it is still in place then ruffles her skirt to shake out the wrinkles. He smiles softly as he watches her then holds out his hand to her.

Allura takes his hand and listens as he once again states, "Do not leave my side, for any reason. Where you go, I go." She nods to him as he squeezes her fingers then leads her out of the lion. They meet Sven on the ground then look over as a tall man in a formal uniform, with insignia on his shoulder denoting his rank, walks up to them with two men following behind him. His hard, gray eyes study them closely for a moment then he states, "I am General Cowell. King Cova sends his greeting to his niece, Princess Allura. He wishes for me to take you to where you can freshen up after your long journey then he will meet with you."

Nodding to him, Allura places her hand on Keith's raised arm intending to follow him. The man holds up his hand as he adds, "The king will only meet with the princess. He wishes for your men to be shown other accommodations…"

"No," overrides Allura, making the man stop speaking. "These men are my personal guards and I will not leave them behind."

"Surely you do not think you are in danger here Princess Allura?" questions the general, a neutral expression on his face.

"Do you ask all visiting royalty to leave their personal guards behind?" asks Allura then goes on to answer it for him congenially, "Surely not. We would not expect that of anyone on Arus."

Cowell glares at her for a moment then acquiesces, "Very well. However, I will require their weapons. No one, but the king's own personal guards, are allowed to have weapons in his presence."

"That sounds reasonable," replies the princess as she looks to Keith. He looks ready to argue, but pulls his blaster off his belt and hands it over to the general. She watches as Sven reluctantly does the same.

The general smiles at them and hands off the guns to the man next to him then turns, "Follow me please."

Taking Keith's arm once more, Allura looks up as they walk toward the entrance with Sven following behind them. A large, gray structure sits before them with armed turrets on every level. There are no flowers, trees or grass near the building. Frowning slightly, she looks over to find military men with armed vehicles parked near the entrance of the building. She glances at the commander and notices the little frown lines near his mouth as he looks over the situation as well. She can feel him stiffening as they enter the double doors leading into the complex. Squeezing Keith's arm, Allura smiles at him encouragingly as he gaze swiftly meets hers. He nods to her then goes back to looking about, his eyes constantly moving as he takes in his surroundings.

They follow the general up several flights of steps then he directs them down a hallway. After several more turns down the halls, Cowell stops before a door, "You and your men may freshen up here. Press the button near the door when you are finished."

Keith leads the way into the room and moves to each adjoining room before walking back to them. He nods to Allura then gestures to the room he just came out of, "Bathroom is in there. Why don't you go first?"

She smiles at him then walks over to the door. Once it closes behind her, Keith shares a look with Sven. The Norwegian nods to him then starts moving his fingers in front of him as he speaks, "How was princess during the flight?"

He nods in answer to Sven's message then signs back to him discretely as he replies, "She was fine. Just a little fidgety because of the long journey. It can't be very comfortable sitting for that long in that dress."

Sven nods in understanding then signs back to Keith as he continues to make small talk. They stop a few minutes later as the door opens and the princess walks back out. She smiles at them, her hair newly brushed with a hint of blush on her cheeks once more. Keith smiles back then looks over at Sven, "Go ahead."

He nods to him then walks into the bathroom. Keith looks back to find Allura studying him closely. He shakes his head at her almost imperceptibly then says, "I'm sure your uncle is looking forward to meeting you at long last."

Allura smiles but does not speak as the door to the bathroom opens a moment later and Sven reappears. Keith nods to her and takes his place only to return a few moments later. He holds out his arm to her once more as he asks, "Ready?"

She takes his arm as she replies, "Yes."

They walk over to the door together and Keith presses the button. The door opens a moment later to reveal General Cowell waiting for them. He studies Keith and Sven closely again for a moment before saying, "If you will follow me, I will lead you to the king now."

Taking a deep breath, Allura tightens her grip on Keith's arm once more as the general leads them down the hallways once more.

xxxxxxxxxx

The entrance to the throne room is an archway of molded marble streaked with ribbons of gold. On the doors is the coat of arms of the Polluxian royal family. Two birdlike creatures face each other, their talons grasping a great silver sword. The doors open as they approach them, showing the grandiose throne room of the Polluxian king. High marble pillars line the walkway leading up to the golden throne over which a large stain glass window, depicting a great battle scene between a white knight and a winged serpent, allows light to fill the room.

A middle-aged man sits on the throne with a white cape over his shoulders covering the midnight blue suit he is wearing. Even at a distance, Keith can see the resemblance between this man and the woman walking beside him. His blonde hair is streaked with gray, but the intelligent brown eyes are the same shape as well as the angle of his jaw. They stop just before the throne. Keith and Sven both bow down on one knee as Allura performs a curtsy, "Your Majesty."

"Princess Allura…" King Cova's deep, timbered voice echoes in the carnivorous room. He stands up and walks down the few steps to them to look at her more closely. As Allura stands upright and does her best to stay still, he pulls her chin up to study her face and remarks, "You look much like my sister and my mother, except the eyes. Those belong to your father." He takes a step back and signals to Keith and Sven to rise as he states, "It is amazing that my daughter, Romelle, looks much like you as well. My late wife also had that sapphire eye color and passed it onto her and my youngest son. But her looks, those came from my side of the family."

A side door opens revealing a young man and woman walking into the room. Sven quietly gasps as he watches the young woman move closer to the throne, her long, blonde hair in a ponytail, wrapped with braids. She is dressed similarly to Allura; only the gown is a light blue in color with a pink collar and matching sash around her waist. When she finally faces forward, her eyes move over them then stop on Sven. He watches her eyes widen in recognition then suddenly the look is gone and her face is carefully neutral once more as King Cova announces them, "This is my eldest son, Prince Avok and my daughter, Princess Romelle."

Keith glances sideways to find Sven stiff and alert as he looks over the Polluxian princess. Swearing under his breath, he takes a step closer to Allura as King Cova continues, "Avok, Romelle, this is your cousin, Princess Allura of Storm Kingdom from Planet Arus. Her mother was my younger sister."

"I thought Arus and the people on it were destroyed by Zarkon's forces?" asks Avok as he looks down, a slightly bored look to his face.

"Not all of us," replies Allura serenely.

"I saw the Black and Blue lions as you landed on the tarmac," states the king. "I had heard Zarkon's witch, Haggar, had destroyed them."

"No, she did not. Those rumors were false." Allura looks away from the king to find her cousin Romelle watching her closely. The other woman twitches slightly, her fingers digging into her gown. Trying not to draw attention to it, Allura turns back to the king, "However, the lions are the reason for my visit."

"Oh?" inquires the king as he moves to sit back on his throne. His eyes move over his niece then the two silent guards beside her as he asks, "What could the lions have to do with me?" Resentment enters his tone as he states, "I was not allowed near Blue lion as a child. Only my older brother was ever allowed inside of it when my father trained him to take his place. Much good it did them, since they both died at Zarkon's hand."

As Allura opens her mouth to speak again, she feels Keith taking her hand as if stopping her. He takes a step forward as he asks, "King Cova, why didn't you ever return to Arus? Surely you wanted to know if any of your family remained."

The expression on the king's face changes to one of fury as he retorts, "Who are you to question my actions regarding my family? My father turned his back on me all those years ago when he refused my quest to wed the princess of Earth Kingdom…instead she was married to that fool, King Harold of Wind Kingdom."

His expression turns to one full of smugness as he states, "Now, they are all dead and I am King of Pollux."

Horrified, Allura quietly retorts, "Zarkon killed my mother, your sister, as well as your father and brother and you do not care?"

"Arus is no longer my home. Why should I fight a war with Doom over it?" asks Cova as he gestures to one of the guards near them. The man moves to the door the prince and princess entered through earlier as the king adds, "Nearly every planet in the Denubian Galaxy has been destroyed and enslaved by King Zarkon. Pollux will _not_ be one of them…"

A Drule with long, white hair, yellow eyes and wearing a form fitting, dark blue uniform walks into the room. Prince Lotor leers at them as he walks over to stand next to Princess Romelle and continues where King Cova left off, "No, Pollux will not be like Arus."

Swearing softly, Keith glances around as several Drule soldiers move from behind the pillars in the throne room to surround them. He glances over at Sven, who grimaces at him then nods in understanding.

"I must thank you for bringing two of the lions to me. Father will be pleased that I captured them since he has been after me to return to Doom to plan the next attack on Arus." Lotor laughs victoriously. "When I also tell him I have captured two of the Garrison pilots and the Princess of Storm Kingdom, he will be most happy."

His eyes move down to find the Polluxian princess staring at one of the Garrison soldiers intently. He forces Romelle's chin up so she looks away from Sven and meets his gaze, "Shall we go celebrate, _my _pet? Perhaps we will have your cousin join us…"

"NOW!" yells Keith as he pushes Allura backward then turns on the guard nearest him. He snaps his neck and grabs his blaster from him in one fluid motion. Turning on the throne, Keith fires the blaster at Lotor only to have a ball of light hit it before it could reach him.

On the other side, Sven echoed Keith's actions, only he shoots the blaster at the remaining guards while ducking from shots aimed at him. He hears Keith yell, "Get out of here!" and pauses long enough to see the commander grab onto the princess and pull her with him to move behind a pillar to avoid more blaster shots. Sven turns and shoots at another Drule guard as he makes his way to the pillars on the opposite side. He glances back to see the terrified expression on Princess Romelle's face before Lotor grabs her and drags her from the throne room. Swearing, he spots a nearby door and lunges for it. He barely makes it inside before more shots are fired at him and hit the closing door instead.

"Get them!" shouts King Cova as Keith finds a door near his side of the room and directs Allura toward it as well. He groans in pain as a shot hits his shoulder and turns to fire several shots at the nearest soldiers, taking two down before he ducks into the room with Allura. Flipping the lock on the door, he grabs the princess' hand only to have her stop mid-step and turn back.

"What's wrong?" demands Keith as he adds, "We need to run!"

"My dress is caught!" cries Allura as she yanks on the fabric, trying frantically to free it from the closed door.

Yanking a knife out of his boot, the commander starts cutting the dress as he pulls hard on it. The sound of fabric tearing tells Allura she is free as he shoves the knife back into his boot then grabs her hand to run down the hallway once more. The noise of the men hammering on the other side of the door follows them down the hall as they round a corner and start down another corridor.

Another door opens, revealing a Polluxian soldier. He starts to yell, "I have found…" but stops as the shot from Keith's blaster silences him. Swearing, Keith pulls the man's body through the door then closes it again. Grabbing the princess' hand once more, he continues down the hall and turns down another passageway. Finding a door at the end of the hall, he opens it, glances inside then pulls Allura into it.

He hits the button to lock the door then states, "That probably won't keep them out for long. We need to find a way back to the lions." Glancing around the room, Keith groans as he takes in the conference room they are hiding in. Finding a window on the other side of the room, he walks over to it and looks down.

"SHIT!"

Allura shudders in her place as she whispers, "What?"

"They've surrounded the lions with armed guards," states Keith as he walks back over to her. "Even if we can get back down to the tarmac without being caught, we will never make it to the lions."

Hopelessness fills her as Allura leans back against a wall and slowly starts to sink to the floor, suddenly unable to stand straight up anymore. She is yanked into Keith's arms a moment later as the tears slide down her cheeks. Her cheek is warmed as it rests against his chest and his arms go around her like steal bands. His voice is low as he whispers to her, "We will find a way to get out of this Princess. I swear, I won't allow that monster to touch you."

He pulls back and moves a hand to her cheek, "I promise you."

Allura nods then glances over at his shoulder, "Oh, you are injured."

"It's nothing…" he glances down at the wound to find a bit of blood sliding out of it, "Thankfully they were only trying to stop me or it would be much worse."

"Here," the princess grabs onto her torn skirt and tears another strip of material off it. She sniffles slightly as she wraps the pink material around his wound, binding it.

He nods his thanks then a calculating expression enters his eyes as he states, "You could take us to Black lion."

She begins shaking her head at him and backs away until Keith grabs her by the shoulders and steps closer to her, "You can do this Allura. I know you can."

Continuing to shake her head, the princess whispers, "I cannot control it…"

Keith moves his hands to her cheeks once more and holds them, "You can Allura. You manage to come to me whenever you are scared." Holding her gaze, he whispers, "All you have to do is concentrate on the cockpit of Black lion…please…try."

The sound of someone trying to open the door jerks Allura's attention to it as she hears, "This door is locked! Get the key-code, they may be inside!"

"Allura…please…"

Turning her attention back to him, she nods then pulls him into a hug, holding him tight to her and inhaling his soft citrus scent as she forcefully thinks, _'Black lion…Black lion…Black lion…'_

The door bursts open just as a flash of light blinds the soldiers rushing into the room. When it dims a moment later, the soldiers look around the now empty room, bewildered.


	23. Chapter 23

Wow...many thanks to all the reviewers last week. I know you all wanted the next chapter sooner, but my poor editor is also trying to finish her own story along with all her other work, so just didn't have time to edit sooner. Wade Wells, many thanks girl!

Warning, this chapter contains rape scenes that may be hard for some to read.

I make no claims to Voltron or any WEP characters.

Origins: A Legend Unfolds: Chapter 23

Dragging the princess down the hallway, Lotor slams his hand against the button to open the door to her rooms then throws Romelle in ahead of him. She stumbles and falls on the floor, a cry of pain escaping her as she quickly turns about, bracing her hands on the floor behind her to find the prince smiling down at her malevolently as he asks, "Did you think those men were here to rescue you?"

She shakes her head at him frantically as he slowly walks toward her, like an animal approaching its prey. Lotor stops just in front of her as he contradicts her answer, "Yes, you did. Do not think I did not see the look in your eyes as you stared at them."

With his hands on his hips, his pointed teeth gleam through his smile as he states, "I think it is time I reminded you who you belong to."

"NO!"

Romelle tries to scramble away only to have Lotor grab her by her hair and yank her back to him. With her head pulled painfully back, Romelle stares fearfully at the prince as he inquires, "Where do you think you are going to go Princess?" He shoves her away from him then demands, "Put on the outfit."

Turning back to face him, Romelle shakes her head desperately. He narrows his eyes as he reminds her, "Do I have to help you change your clothes? Remember what happened the last time you failed to obey me?"

Tears run down her cheeks as the princess shakes her head at him then turns to walk over to a chest of drawers. Opening it while suppressing a sob, she pulls something out then starts for her bathroom only to stop when she hears, "No, you will change in front of me."

Looking back at the Doom prince, Romelle reaches behind her to pull the zipper down on her dress then slowly pulls the sleeves off her arms. Lotor laughs sadistically as he watches the princess slowly remove her clothing.

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Glancing around a corner, Sven spies the two soldiers moving toward him then slips behind the wall once more. He waits for them to step past him then grabs the first one from behind, snapping his neck before he has time to react. The second guard grabs for his blaster only to receive a spin kick to the face. He falls to the ground but does not have time to get up before Sven jumps on top of him then snaps his neck as well.

Checking the hall to make sure there are no other guards, Sven starts pulling the bodies to the door of a nearby room. Closing the door behind him, he takes the sword from one guard's belt then starts stripping the guard of his uniform.

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Finishing pulling the satin strap of the outfit over her shoulder, Romelle keeps her gaze on the floor as she continues to fight against the instinct to run. It barely covers her, the scarlet satin stops at the top of her thighs and under her breasts, the material sliding up her sides to her shoulders to keep the outfit in place. Her chin is jerked up a moment later and Lotor's yellow eyes gleam with malevolence as he states, "You should feel privileged to receive my attentions. Many women would love to be in your position right now. Soon, your Arusian cousin will join you and you both will pleasure me!"

She shudders as he releases her chin to run his fingers down her arms before touching the breasts that are sticking out of the revealing garment. A cry of pain escapes her a moment later as he pinches her nipples cruelly. Suddenly he pushes her hard against the wall behind her, her breath leaving her as he growls out, "Do not dare ruin this for me with your pathetic wailing! You exist to pleasure me and nothing more!"

Lotor reaches down to lower the zipper of his pants then pulls out his already erect manhood. Stepping forward he lifts the princess up into the air as he demands, "Wrap your legs around me!" Afraid to defy him, Romelle does as ordered and feels him push hard into her, causing her to cry out at the pain of the intrusion.

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A flash of light burns bright in the Black lion for a moment then dims to reveal the princess and the commander. Keith opens his eyes as he steps back from her and glances around. A bright smile slips across his face as he grabs onto Allura and hugs her as he exclaims, "I knew you could do it!"

He swings her around the limited space of the cabin once then puts her down. Turning to the monitors, he flips it on to look down at the group of soldiers still on the tarmac. "They don't suspect us of being here…good."

Keith turns back to look her over. Her hair is hanging wildly about her and the dress has more than one tear in it. She finally seems to become aware as well as she looks down at the remains of her dress to lament, "Oh, I only have one more dress…"

Trying hard not to smile at her, Keith asks, "Are you all right?"

She nods then looks at him as she reaches behind for the zipper, "I should change…"

At the sound of the zipper lowering, Keith clears his throat then replies, "I'll give you some privacy." He turns around and bends down to open a compartment. As he starts taking out weapons, he hears, "What are we going to do now?"

"I need to go back for Sven," the commander replies as he takes out the last of the weapons then closes the compartment door. He begins to place more knives in his boots and a blaster in the back of his belt when he hears, "No, _we_ need to go back for Sven!"

Resisting the urge to groan even as he mentally acknowledges he will need her to find Sven, Keith stands and places the laser sword's hilt in the front of his belt as he asks, "Are you done changing?"

"Just about, one moment."

Keith listens to the sounds of clothing being shifted and in another minute hears, "Ok, I am done." He turns around to find her dressed in her simple, black pantsuit once more. Allura is running her fingers through her hair and quickly braiding it as she asks, "How do we find Sven?"

"Feel like trying another disappearing act?" asks Keith as he smiles softly at her.

Taking a deep breath, Allura closes her eyes then nods. She hears the commander's soft exhale of relief then he says, "You need weapons…"

Opening her eyes, she finds Keith handing her a blaster and a knife. She shoves the knife down into her boot and the blaster into the holster on her belt. Looking back up to meet his eyes, Allura whispers, "Hold tight to me…" Stepping forward, she wraps her arms around him, fisting her hand into the back of his jacket as she lays her head against his chest, underneath his chin.

When she feels his arms move around her, Allura closes her eyes and whispers, "Sven…"

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Walking along the hallway into the wing of the royal family, Sven returns a wave of the passing Polluxian guards then continues on his way down the hall. He pauses near a door to listen then keeps moving. Lowering his head when he spots the king ahead talking to the head of his guards, he hears, "Prince Lotor is enjoying some private time with Romelle in her room…she damn well better be keeping him happy if she knows what's good for her."

Anger sweeps through the Norwegian but he keeps walking and hears a last bit before passing, "The last time she made Prince Lotor unhappy, he made sure we all knew his displeasure and I had to punish her." Resisting the urge to turn around and murder the king, Sven reminds himself, _'The royal family's rooms are in this section…I need to find Romelle.'_

Turning down a hallway, he stops when he hears a young woman crying out. The sound stops abruptly but not before Sven locates the door the sound came from. Pulling the sword out of his belt, he pushes the button to the door and rushes in. He finds Lotor holding the Polluxian princess against a wall as he rapes her. A growl of fury rips out of him as Sven demands, "Release her, you son of a bitch!"

Lotor pauses to look over his shoulder. He smiles evilly as he replies, "The fair princess and I are in the middle of some quality time Earthling, come back later." Turning back to Romelle, he notes the look of hope in her eyes then leans forward to bite her nipple, hard enough to draw blood.

She screams in pain and Sven comes rushing at them with a yell. The Doom prince turns with her still in his arms and throws Romelle at him then pulls the sword out of his belt. Sven barely has time to push the princess away from him and jump to his feet before Lotor attacks. Parrying the thrust, the Norwegian slips around him then goes on attack.

Laughing at him as he easily deflects the strike, Lotor says, "You are no match for me Earthling. When I have killed you, I will finish fucking Romelle in the pool of your blood." Rage fills Sven as he dodges the next thrust of Lotor's blade then tries to swing at him only to have it deflected.

Rushing forward, Lotor brings his sword down hard against Sven's then punches him. As he falls to the ground, the Doom prince smiles back at Romelle as she grabs onto one of the posters of her bed and rises off the floor, "Get ready…" then turns back to kill the other man. He cries out in pain a moment later as Romelle jumps on his back and bites his ear.

Sven rises in time to watch Lotor yank Romelle off his back then backhand her. Time seems to slow down for him as the princess falls down, striking her forehead against the poster of her bed before landing silently on the floor.

"NO! Romelle!" screams Sven then he swings his sword hard against the Doom prince again. The attack is parried as Lotor laughs sadistically at him.

"Is that the best you've got Earthling?" He deflects the next blow without any effort then kicks out and hits the Norwegian in the chest, knocking him against the wall. Rushing forward, Lotor thrusts forward, shoving his sword into Sven's shoulder.

As he screams out in agony, Lotor slowly turns the blade, "Does it hurt? Shall I end the pain?" He stops when suddenly there is a flash of light. Turning enough to look behind him, he finds the Arusian princess and her companion. Glaring at them, Lotor states, "Are all Earthlings alike? Can you not see we are in the middle of something?"

Keith pulls away from Allura, his eyes finding Sven pinned to the wall and anger fills him. He pushes the princess behind him then takes a step toward them. Pulling the laser sword from his belt, he presses the button to ignite it while demanding, "Release him…now."

Diabolical laughter bursts out of Lotor as he rips his sword out of Sven's shoulder. As the Norwegian slides down the wall, a groan of pain escaping him, the Doom prince rushes forward. Keith parries the thrust and goes on the attack, forcing him back. Soon, Lotor is no longer laughing as he realizes that this Earthling is his match when it comes to swords.

Thrusting then quickly dropping and swinging at the Doom prince's legs, Keith notes Allura from the corner of his eyes, slowly making her way to Sven. Swinging out with his fist, the commander hits his opponent in the jaw, sending him reeling backward and calls out, "Get them out of here Allura!"

Lotor grabs his chin as he spins about and looks back to find the Arusian princess grabbing onto the wounded Earthling and disappearing. Snarling, he looks back at the remaining one, "What is your name fool, before I kill you?"

Narrowing his eyes at the Doom prince, Keith retorts, "Commander Keith Kogane of Galaxy Garrison and I don't think I'll be the one dying today." A battle cry screams out of him as he swings forward and continues the fight.

A brief flash of light appears again and Allura watches for a moment as the two men continue to fight, neither giving an inch nor slowing down with tiredness. Sliding around the wall, she approaches her unconscious cousin and wraps her arms around her. Concentrating on Black lion, she's about to disappear when she hears the Doom prince, "Stick around Princess, I shall show you and your cousin what it is like to have a real man between your legs."

Allura looks up to see a murderous expression cross Keith's face as he strikes harder than ever against Lotor's sword then performs a swing kick to knock him back. Pushing forward hard, the commander shoves his sword into Lotor's shoulder and feels the satisfaction of hearing him cry out in pain. Pulling the sword out, Keith punches him in the jaw, knocking him out cold.

The blade of his sword disappears as Keith puts the unit back in his belt and rushes over to her, "We have to get out of here before the guards come." He grabs a robe off the bed and throws it over Romelle before he picks her up in his arms then looks at Allura, "Take us to Sven." Nodding, she wraps her arms around Keith and her cousin then closes her eyes as she concentrates on Black lion. They disappear a moment later.

Coming to, Lotor holds his hand to his wounded shoulder as he looks around the room for his quarry. Narrowing his eyes when he finds the room empty, the Doom prince spits out, "Bastard will pay for this. I will make him watch me deflower his precious little princess." Stomping out of the room, he calls out, "Guards!"

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Reappearing in Black lion, Keith feels Allura step away from him then looks down to find Sven with the medical kit next to him, holding gauze to his wounded shoulder. His face is pale and sweat dots his upper lip as he puts pressure on the wound. Finally noticing them, he looks up at them and reaches out with his remaining good arm, "Romelle!"

Keith steps past Allura to lay the unconscious princess beside his friend then steps back to watch him. Reaching down, Sven pushes the long, blonde tresses away from her face. His anger rises as he notices the gash on her forehead and the bruise forming on her cheek. He finally looks back up when he hears Keith say, "We need to get out of here before Lotor comes to and calls the fighters on us. Will you be able to fly Blue lion?"

Nodding, Sven puts a hand back on his shoulder as he slowly rises, "Yes, but we must hurry."

Looking at the wound, Keith swears, "You are losing too much blood…"

"Hence the need to hurry," Sven replies as he groans.

Picking up some gauze, Keith pushes it hard against his friend's shoulder then about to reach for the tape, is handed it by Allura. He nods to her then goes about taping the gauze to Sven's shoulder. Throwing the tape back down, he turns back to the princess, "You must take Sven to Blue lion and stay with him on the flight back. Keep pressure on his shoulder and try to stop the bleeding…"

Allura puts a finger on his lips to stop him talking, "We will be fine." She manages a soft smile then turns away to face Sven. Stepping up to him, she wraps her arms around him then they both disappear. Glancing back at the sleeping princess on the floor, Keith sighs as he move back to her. Pressing the button for the extra side seat, he lifts her back up and places her on it, strapping her in. Satisfied that Romelle is secured, he moves to the command seat and places the key in the lock for the lion.

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Appearing in the Blue lion, Allura listens to Sven groan in pain as she releases him. Her eyes move over him, noting the whitening pallor and the sweat sliding down his face. He slowly makes his way to the command chair and drops down in it. Pulling the key from his pocket, Sven tries to lift it to the lock but its slips from his fingers to land on the floor of the lion instead.

Allura places a hand on his arm to stop him then bends down to pick it up for him. She places it in the lock then stands behind the chair, her hand on his shoulder to place pressure on his wound. Sven groans in pain then manages to say, "Hold on…Princess."

He grabs onto the controls as the lion stands and looks out the monitors to find Doom soldiers firing up at the lion. Anger rushes through him as he looks down on the troops and presses a button, "Water blast!"

Water rushes out of the lion's mouth and slams the troops into the ground. Pulling back on the controls, Sven pulls the lion up into the air only to find Drule fighters coming at him. Sucking in a deep breath, he quietly says, "This could get nasty…"

Tightening her grip on his shoulder, Allura listens to him call out, "Ion Knife!" She watches as they fly right through one fighter then head for the sky. A cry escapes her when a missile hits the lion causing them to change direction.

"Hang on!"

The sound of Keith's voice calms Allura as she watches Black lion fly at several of the fighters while crying out, "Proton missiles, fire!"

They explode in the air as Sven levels out the lion and flies upward again as Keith orders, "Get out of here! I'll keep them off you!"

Allura watches as the lion lifts into the stratosphere and the blueness of the sky fades away.

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Keith watches them go then turns back to the battle, narrowing his eyes on the cruiser heading at him. A smile creeps across his face as he calls out, "Laser knife!" He flies at the larger ship, using the knife to cut through the wing. Continuing on, he cuts through three fighters then calls out, "Proton missiles!" as he fires on the remaining fighters heading at him before he heads for the sky himself as fast as he can push the lion.

Catching up with Blue lion, Keith calls out, "Come in Blue lion, how are you two doing in there?"

His concern rises when Allura answers him, "Keith, I do not think Sven will make Arus. He keeps losing consciousness." A soft groan comes across then Sven's voice, "Can't…stay awake." Silence soon follows then a gasp from the princess.

Swearing under his breath, Keith replies, "Princess, you are going to have to fly that lion." He does not hear anything for a moment then calls out, "Princess Allura!"

"I am here Keith…" Her voice becomes tentative, "Tell me what to do."

"Get into the command chair," he tells her, "We will get through this together."

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The sight of Planet Arus growing larger on the monitor fills Allura full of relief. She checks the floor next to the chair, noting that Sven is still bleeding lightly through the pads on his shoulder, but breathing still. Pressing the button for the comm. unit, she asks, "What next Keith?"

"You are doing great Princess," she hears, "Now as we come into the stratosphere; you will feel the lion shake slightly. Don't worry about it, just keep flying straight and follow me down to the planet's surface. We will be there in a few minutes."

As they fly through the clouds, she smiles at the image on the monitors then continues to follow behind Black lion. A moment later Keith tells her, "We are going to land near the entrance to the compound. Coran has medical staff waiting for us. Just remember what I told you about the landing sequence."

Taking a deep breath, Allura answer, "Copy that, lead the way Keith." She watches the Black lion heading for the ground and follows him. Coming close to the ground, she hears, "Now Princess, press the red button on the left of the main panel while pulling back on the control."

She does as told and feels the lion pull back slightly as the ground comes up at her. Apprehension fills her as Keith calls out, "Pull up Princess! Pull up!" She yanks hard on the control once more then feels the lion hit the ground with a hard thud. Shaking her head from the jarring landing, Allura watches on the monitor as Dr. Gorma and several of his medical staff come running at the lion.

Standing, she opens the side hatch as they rush up to the door. The princess steps out and jumps to the ground as the interior of the lion floods with medical people. She looks over to find Keith laying a still unconscious Princess Romelle on a gurney. Rushing up to him, Allura asks, "Is Romelle all right?"

The commander nods to her, "She was moaning on the flight back. She just never fully woke up. I'm sure she will be fine Princess." His eyes move over her quickly as he asks, "Are you all right?"

"I am fine." She smiles ruefully, "Though the landing was a little rough."

She watches a smile start to lift the corners of his lips but his attention moves to the Blue lion instead as the staff lowers Sven to the ground then onto a gurney. Turning to face them, she places a hand on his arm as they move toward them.

Allura can feel the tension in his body as he stiffens when they go past and he sees the paleness of Sven's face. Squeezing his arm, she whispers, "I am sure he will be fine Keith." She pulls on him, "Let us follow them. I am sure the others are waiting for us inside."

Keith watches the gurney disappear into the entrance of the Storm Kingdom compound before looking back at the princess. He nods to her then takes her arm to lead her toward the door.


	24. Chapter 24

I'm glad all of you are enjoying the story…reviewer K…good catch on the error! I fixed it for other readers. Here's to hoping no one finds any in this chapter. ;)

Mertz

I make no claims to Voltron or any WEP characters.

Origins: A Legend Unfolds: Chapter 24

A groan slips from her lips as she raises her hand to find a bandage on her forehead. Romelle's eyes finally flutter open as she hears her name whispered. With her vision blurred, the princess mumbles something incoherent as she reaches out in front of her. She feels a hand grabbing hers as a voice says, "It is okay Romelle. You are safe now."

Her vision clears to find her Arusian cousin in front of her. Blinking repeatedly to keep it clear, Romelle mutters, "Where…am I?"

Allura reaches down to push some hair out of her cousin's face as she replies, "In the medical unit in Storm Kingdom. We brought you back to Arus with us. I told you, you are safe."

Sitting upright suddenly, Romelle looks around in panic as she rambles, "Lotor? Where's Lotor?"

Grabbing her shoulders, Allura exclaims, "Romelle! You are safe. No one will hurt you here."

"Is there something wrong?"

Romelle lets out a little cry of alarm and tries to back off the bed even as Allura sits down beside her to keep her in place. Maia's eyebrows go up as she tries again, "Allura, what is wrong here?"

"Romelle does not know you Maia and is scared," she replies even as she wraps her arms around her cousin, "Shush, it is just Maia. She is a princess of Fire Kingdom and a distant cousin of yours." As Romelle continues to shake in her arms, Allura looks back at Maia, "She is ok, just frightened. How is Sven?"

"Still in surgery." Maia moves around the bed so she can see the Polluxian princess' face. Rage fills her at the sight of the bruises and the sheer fear visible in her eyes. The anger is in her voice as she demands, "That Doom bastard did that to her?"

Allura nods, but refrains from saying anything else as she pulls back to look into her cousin's face. "Romelle, look at me, you are safe here."

Looking around once more, Romelle focuses on the other princess standing near her, anger still radiating from the other woman. Finding her voice, she asks, "Sven…he was the one that saved me?"

"Yes, Lotor put a sword into his shoulder, but he will be fine." As tears fill Romelle's eyes, Maia sits down on the bed beside her as well. Cupping her injured cheeks, she softens her tone as she repeats, "He will be fine. We have some of the best medical doctors available…" Her eyes turn fierce as she adds, "and no one will ever harm you again."

Romelle searches her eyes then looks over at Allura to find an encouraging smile on her face. She looks back at the other princess then nods. Maia smiles at her then fondly brushes Romelle's hair back away from her face, "Everything will be all right. You will see." Romelle nods then lies back down against her pillows. She feels fingers brushing her hair lightly as she closes her eyes and soon falls back asleep.

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The sound of the clock ticking on the wall above the door is the only sound in the room as the remaining Voltron Force members continue to wait for news of their friend. Keith looks up at the time again, aggravation filling him as he notes that only four minutes had passed since he last looked. _'This waiting is interminable…'_ He hears the sound of a door opening and looks down the hallway to find Allura and Maia walking toward them as they talk. Their faces are somber as they reach the men. Keith stands, "How is Princess Romelle?"

"Sleeping," replies Allura as she tiredly sits down in an open chair.

Keith gestures with his hands as he says, "No, I mean…"

"She is scared Commander." Anger fills her tone as Maia growls, "When I get my hands on that Drule bastard…"

"I think you will have to get in line, _Princess,_" Lance drawls as he lounges back in his chair.

Narrowing her eyes at him, Maia is about to blast him when the doors to the surgical unit open and Dr. Gorma walks out, distracting them. He nods to the Fire Kingdom princess in deference as she moves past him to sit down then over at the commander as he steps forward to ask, "How's Sven?"

"In recovery. The surgery went fine so there will be no permanent damage. However, recovery will take a little time. We used the Dominex method of repairing the damaged muscles and tissue, but it will still be a day or two before he will have some use of his arm, a month or so to regain full strength," the doctor informs him. He nods to the other occupants then says, "I'm going to check on Princess Romelle then return to Mr. Holgersson." He starts to leave the room but is stopped by Hunk's question, "When can we see him?"

"Probably in an hour," Dr. Gorma informs him, "I want to make sure his blood pressure is stabilized and he's cognizant of his surroundings, then I will allow him visitors."

As the doctor leaves, Keith turns back to the group, "While I know we all want to see Sven, it's getting late and we also need to get some rest." His eyes fall on Lance, "I believe you have guard duty in an hour."

Swearing under his breath, the lieutenant stands, "All right, tell Sven I'll see him tomorrow then." He avoids looking at Maia as he quickly leaves the room. Her emerald eyes watch him go then she looks back as Keith states, "Pidge, Hunk, you two need to head for bed as well. Hunk, you replace Lance at 3AM, so get moving."

"But what about Sven?" Pidge questions as he stands.

Keith takes a deep breath then replies, "I'll see to him."

"Cap, you haven't rested since you returned. I can stay up…" Pidge interjects while trying to argue with his commanding officer.

"Private Stoker, you have your orders," Keith firmly retorts as he directs him to the door.

Pidge sighs deeply as he gives in with a short nod then follows Hunk from the room. The commander turns back and faces the two princesses still sitting in their seats. Both raise an eyebrow at him, as if daring him to try to order them to leave. Trying for diplomacy, Keith focuses on Allura, "Princess, I'm sure you are exhausted after our long journey and the battle to escape. Why don't you go rest?"

Shaking her head, she replies, "Romelle will likely wake again and I will not leave her alone." Her eyes move over his form as Allura adds, "But you look tired, surely you would like some sleep?"

"I will not leave Sven to awaken alone any more than you will leave Princess Romelle," Keith replies sternly as he sits back down.

Maia stands up, "You are both stubborn asses. Neither of you have slept in two days I would be willing to guess. Both of you go to bed. I will wake you if either Romelle or Sven needs you." As they shake their heads at her, Maia points to the door, "Go! Now!" When neither moves, the Fire Kingdom princess forms a ball of fire in her hand, "Do not make me use this…"

Groaning in defeat even though he feels like laughing at Maia, Keith rises, "Princess Allura, allow me to escort you to your room?"

Sliding her gaze to her cousin and receiving a glare even as the fireball disappears, Allura caves in, "Very well…" As she stands, she glances down the hallway leading to Romelle's room. She feels a hand on her shoulder and looks to find Maia gazing at her in an understanding way, "She will be fine. I will watch over her." Nodding, Allura takes Keith's proffered arm and walks out of the room with him.

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Walking down the hallway with Keith, the princess thinks back on their escape to the Black lion on Pollux and the feeling of his body against hers as she held him. Feeling her body responding, Allura pushes the memory from her mind as she asks, "What are we going to do about Blue lion?"

"What about it?" Keith asks tiredly as he continues to lead the princess to her room.

Stopping, she forces him to turn to look at her, "Sven cannot fly, will not be able to for at least a month. What if Doom attacks in the meantime?"

"If I know Sven, he won't be out the full month and the remaining four of us can handle it I'm sure Princess," he replies, his eyebrows arched at her.

"But it takes five lions to form Voltron," Allura tries to reason with him.

Trying not to laugh, Keith shakes his head at her, "We can't even form Voltron now…"

"You will be able to once we find a descendent of the Wind Kingdom and we restore Voltron's spirit," she interjects then continues, "That will happen before Sven has healed."

Keith studies her closely and quietly for a moment then asks, "What are you trying to get at Allura?"

Taken aback at his use of her given name again, it takes her a moment to regain her train of thought. Stepping toward him, Allura looks up into his eyes as she replies, "Train me to fly the lions."

He begins shaking his head at her and tries to turn away but stops when he feels her hand on his forearm, "Please Keith, there will be other times when one of you is injured or sick and cannot fly. We need others to be able to fill in when that occurs." When he does not answer her, only continues to stare into her eyes, she pleads with him, "Do not leave us vulnerable like that, please!"

Taking a deep breath, he finally nods, "I'll find someone to train…"

"NO! Keith, I am not some fragile, little girl that is going to break!" She gestures with her hands while trying to make her point, "I know on Earth you have women warriors, why do you think I cannot do this?"

Rubbing the corners of his eyes tiredly, Keith replies, "I'm sorry Princess." He stops and looks into her earnest face once more, "My instinct is always to protect you…to keep you out of harm's way."

"But you cannot always keep me away from harm," she replies as she lifts a hand up to cup his cheek. "My father thought he could keep us out of harm's way and he died, leaving us more vulnerable than he ever thought possible." Allura drops her hand away as she turns to walk down the hall away from him.

Keith watches her go for a moment then hurries after her. Catching up to her just before her room, he grabs her arm to stop her. "Princess…" He stops when some guards walk around the corner, joining them in the hallway. Gritting his teeth, Keith quickly releases her then steps up to the door to her room. Pressing the button, he opens the door then gestures to her to walk inside.

She walks past him into the room then he follows her, pressing the button to close the door behind them. With Allura standing there looking at him curiously, the commander sighs, "Very well, I'll train you…well, you and Maia, to fly the lions since I know she will demand it of me as well. However, I need a promise from you and will demand it of Maia as well."

"What?" Allura asks, barely able to contain her building excitement.

"In the lions, you will follow all of my orders explicitly, will not argue with me or countermand me. In the lions, I'm considered…the king…got it?" Keith states firmly as he crosses his arms in front of his chest. When she nods, the enthusiasm in her eyes expanding, he steps forward and grabs her by both of her arms, "I know you are excited Allura, but keep in mind what you are promising me here. You will never argue with me in the lions. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Keith, I understand," she replies, the smile still on her face. When he releases her, Allura throws her arms around him in a hug.

Keith sucks in a deep breath at the contact but she pulls away from him a moment later. Her sapphire eyes still shine with excitement as she asks, "When do we start?"

Releasing his breath slowly, he replies, "Let me talk to the guys in the morning to make sure they are on board with it then we can set up a schedule." Stepping away from her, he walks to the door. Opening it, Keith smiles at her, "Good night Princess," then walks out of the room.

Wrapping her arms around herself as if to keep the excitement in, Allura walks toward her bathroom to get ready for bed, her mind still reeling, _'He is going to teach me to fly…'_

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Two hours later, Maia is yawning as she looks up from her book to check on the room's other occupant. Princess Romelle continues to sleep, whimpering occasionally as she turns over. Deciding not to wake her, Maia stands up to stretch. Thinking, _'I need something to drink and should check on Sven,'_ she glances down at the sleeping princess once more then walks out of the room. _'I will be back before she wakes…'_

The sound of the door closing reaches Romelle's ears and she opens her eyes. Fright fills her at the unfamiliar surroundings then her memory returns. Sitting up, she finds a robe lying across the end of her bed and slips it on then looks at the door. Rising, she looks out the window in the door, finding no one, presses the button. Walking out into the hallway, Romelle pauses as she looks around then chooses a direction.

Moving down the hallway, she pulls the robe tighter around her as she finds a nurse standing beside the nursing station speaking to another woman. The nurse turns to look at her then says, "Princess Romelle, is there something I can help you with?"

Shifting from foot to foot while wrapping her arms around herself, Romelle studies the woman. She finally whispers, "Sven?"

Nodding, the nurse directs her by pointing down the hallway Romelle had been walking, "He is resting in room five, Princess."

Romelle steps away from the other women but can feel their eyes watching her as she moves down the hallway then pauses by the door with a five on it. Looking in the window, she finds the lieutenant commander sleeping in the bed, his left arm strapped across his stomach and gauze wrapped around his shoulder.

"You can go in if you wish…"

Jumping at the sound of the voice next to her ear, Romelle looks back at the abashed nurse in fear as she states, "I'm so sorry Princess Romelle, I didn't mean to scare you." She presses the button to open the door to room five, "Please, go in if you wish to visit."

The fear slowly leaves her as Romelle nods then walks past the nurse into the room. The door closes behind her as she walks forward to look over the man that saved her from Prince Lotor. Approaching the bed, the princess is about to sit down in the seat next to it when his eyes suddenly open. Sven groans slightly then turns his head to face his visitor. Finding the Polluxian princess, he manages a small smile, "Princess Romelle."

Her serious blue eyes stare back at him for several quiet moments before she inquires, "Does it hurt?"

Sven nods his head then adds, "But I've had worse injuries. I'll be fine, Princess."

"I dreamed of you," her voice comes out in a mere whisper.

"I dreamed of you as well," he replies, his gaze sorrowful, "I kept begging for you to tell me where you were. I came as soon as I could."

She does not reply but suddenly her eyes fill with tears. As she tries to turn away from him, Sven grabs onto her hand, "Romelle…" She looks back at him with the tears running down her cheeks as he pulls her toward him, "Come…please…"

Romelle slides onto the bed beside him, her cheek against his chest as his arm wraps around her. His tone is fierce as he says, "That bastard will never harm you again." Feeling safe for the first time in what seems to be ages, Romelle tilts her head back to look into the Norwegian's eyes. His hand moves back and forth across her back in a comforting motion as he finishes, "I promise you." Putting her head back down, Romelle closes her eyes as she replies, "I believe you."

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From outside the room, Maia watches through the observation window as Sven continues to run his hand back and forth as he comforts Princess Romelle. A soft smile crosses Maia's face as he closes his eyes while holding the princess close to him. Moving away from the door, she stops by the nurse's station to give orders that the pair are not to be disturbed then makes her way out of MedTech.

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Breathing in deeply in his sleep, Keith turns over onto his side and pulls the blankets up tighter around his shoulder as he moves into a more comfortable position. A flash of light has him opening his eyes, his body stiffening as he starts to ready himself for a confrontation. He forces himself to relax a moment later as Allura becomes visible, lying in the bed right next to him. She whimpers in her sleep as she turns into him, her nose pushing into his chest.

Realizing she is still asleep, Keith sighs and puts an arm over her as he whispers, "You are safe Allura, easy."

She burrows into him even more as he moves his hand up and down her back. His gaze moves over her sleeping form, taking in the delicate arch of her eyebrows and the lashes resting on her cheeks. His attention moves down to her lips, slightly parted in sleep and he feels an intense need to find out their softness. Fighting against it, he looks away from her to the wall as he continues to caress her back. As her breathing evens out, Keith sighs as he thinks, _'How am I supposed to get her back to her room without getting caught or waking her up?'_

Groaning, he slowly pulls away from her and rises from the bed. She curls up even more, her hand reaching for the blankets as she shivers slightly. Deciding to try something, Keith sits back down and pulls the blankets around her as he whispers, "Allura, we need to go to your bedroom." He starts rubbing her back again as he leans over her, "Please Allura, take us to your room."

She mumbles in her sleep but a moment later, Keith closes his eyes against the blinding light. When he opens them again, he looks around relieved to find them in Allura's room. He pulls the blankets around the princess once more then waits a moment to make sure she still sleeps before quietly walking to the door.

As the door closes behind him, Keith stops abruptly when he finds the advisor in front of him. Coran lifts an eyebrow at him sarcastically as he dryly asks, "Troubles finding your own room?"

"No," groans Keith as he states, "She had another nightmare and appeared in my room."

Coran relaxes his stance and sighs, "Thank you for returning her to her room, Commander."

"I didn't."

At the confused look on the advisor's face, he explains, "She brought us back, by disappearing."

"Ahh," Coran smiles then states, "Well, best you head back to your own room then."

"I'm on my way, good night."

"Good night, Commander," replies the older man as he watches him walk away. His eyes move to the bedroom door of the princess for a moment more before he shakes his head ruefully and begins making his way down the hall once more.


	25. Chapter 25

Reviewer K...to answer your question, I believe there are 41 chapters total...there, now you know.

Mertz

I make no claims to Voltron or any WEP characters.

Origins: A Legend Unfolds: Chapter 25

The next morning, Sven opens his eyes to find his commander sitting on the chair next to his bed. His friend is trying to recline in the stiff, backed chair, his arms crossed in front of him as he smiles, "Good morning."

"Morning," Sven manages to reply then glances down to find Romelle still asleep alongside of him. He runs a hand gently down her hair then glances back at his friend, "Thank you for saving her."

"You did most of the work Sven, I just finished it," he replies then gestures to his shoulder, "How does it feel?"

"I don't know. They have a morphine drip on me still, so I am not feeling much of anything yet." He runs his hand down Romelle's hair again, enjoying the silky feel.

Keith watches his friend shift to put his head against the princess' and sighs as he remembers the feel of a different princess in his arms the night before. The thought of her brings back the need for the visit. Clearing his throat to gain Sven's attention, he says, "I had a request from Princess Allura."

His friend looks at him curiously as the commander sighs and states, "She would like to be trained to fly the lions to help protect Arus during your recovery and help fill any future needs."

"Well, it makes sense to have someone trained," Sven starts to agree, "But the princess?"

"It is her planet," Keith starts to say then runs his hand through his hair. "She demanded it be her. I also know that if we train Princess Allura, we will also be training Princess Maia. She will demand it as well."

"Yes, given her temperament, I would have to agree with that assessment." Sven returns to stroking Romelle's hair as he states, "They have a passion to protect the people and what is left of their kingdoms." He looks back at Keith, "I wouldn't deny them the right to protect what is theirs."

"No, I don't think we could even if we tried," Keith agrees then smiles, "I have no doubt Maia would make good on her threat to use a fireball against me."

Sven smiles as well then states, "Do you realize we've been here a week already?"

"Busy week," sighs the commander as he slouches in his chair slightly.

"Yeah, imagine what the next six months will be like."

Sven chuckles as the commander groans then turns his attention back to the woman next to him as she murmurs in her sleep. He moves his hand from her hair to her back, caressing her softly.

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Walking into the dining room, Allura glances around to find only Maia in the room. She sips from a cup slowly, her eyes closed. Sitting down across from her, Allura asks, "How did it go last night?"

Opening her eyes, Maia looks tiredly over at the other princess as she responds, "It went fine. Romelle woke at one point and went to Sven's room. She was still sleeping next to him when I left MedTech this morning."

"Did you sleep at all?" asks Allura as she accepts a plate from a servant.

"Some, I thought I would have breakfast with you then return to Fire Kingdom to rest." She yawns delicately as a plate is placed in front of her as well. Looking down at it, Maia sighs, closes her eyes once more then goes back to sipping from her cup of coffee.

Allura watches her then smiles, "Perhaps you should just return to Fire Kingdom now and sleep."

The other princess smiles with her eyes still closed and takes another sip. She finally sets the cup down and opens her eyes, "I will soon enough. Too often my meals have been solitary or eaten quickly so I can return to my duties."

Swallowing a sip of tea, Allura nods, "I have found that since the men have arrived, I enjoy meal time much more."

"They are a lively lot, are they not?" replies Maia then sighs as she hears voices coming from down the hall. Soon Pidge and Lance walk into the room and take their places. Lance smiles at them as he says, "Good morning ladies."

Maia nods to him then goes back to her coffee. Refusing to be ignored, Lance tries again, "How is Sven this morning?" Sighing, Maia looks back at him, "He was still asleep when I left MedTech."

"Where is Keith?" Allura suddenly asks, breaking into the conversation.

Shrugging, Lance replies, "After our drills, he mentioned seeing Sven then coming down for breakfast later."

"Why did no one wake me for drills?" The princess looks highly irritated as she glares at the lieutenant.

Lance glances over to find an amused look on Maia's face then turns back to Allura to answer, "When you didn't show up, Keith decided to let you sleep. He said that after everything that happened yesterday, you had earned the right to sleep in for one day."

Finding the conversation highly entertaining, Maia looks away from Lance to Allura. The other princess stares at the lieutenant closely before she suddenly rises, "I am going to go check on Romelle and Sven."

They watch her leave the room then Lance sighs, "So, how much trouble is Keith in for not waking her?"

"I do not know," replies Maia, "I think she was torn between gratitude for the extra sleep and irritation because now she has not had training for two days." She rises from her chair, "I should go with her."

Lance stands as well and Maia looks at him sharply. He smiles at her as he says, "Think I will escort you."

The princess stares at him a moment longer then shrugs almost imperceptibly before heading for the door, leaving Lance to hurry after her. Pidge glances over at them and shakes his head then turns his attention back to his breakfast.

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Breathing in deeply then releasing it, Romelle feels a hard body next to hers as she slowly awakens. It does not frighten her however, even though her half-asleep mind cannot remember why. She feels a hand on her back, rubbing gently and lets out a little sleepy moan. Her eyes slip open to find the man that saved her from Lotor studying her closely as he whispers, "Good morning."

She manages a soft smile before she notices a man sitting on a chair across from them. Gasping, she starts to pull away only to have Sven tighten his hold on her as he says, "Easy Romelle. This is Keith Kogane, my commanding officer and friend. He was on Pollux with me and he won't hurt you."

Looking from Sven back to the other man, she notices a look of anger in his eyes as he looks her over that disappears almost as most as fast as it had appeared as he smiles kindly at her then says, "Good morning Princess Romelle, how are you feeling?"

The door to the room opens before she can answer and Allura walks in. She looks at the men then at Romelle and manages a smile, "Morning, Maia said you came in here last night."

Tensing her body as she starts to panic, Romelle feels Sven tightening his grip on her in response as he says, "Easy Romelle, no one here will hurt you. You're safe here on Arus…remember?"

Disturbing memories come flooding back as Romelle looks away from the other two back to Sven, "What about Bandor?"

The door opens again to reveal Lance and Maia as Keith asks, "Who is Bandor?"

Ignoring the new arrivals, she replies, "My younger brother. He is only twelve years old! I cannot leave him there for my father to abuse!" Romelle looks back at Sven, "Please! Can you save him?"

Sven looks away from her over to Keith, "Have any ideas?"

"We had a hard enough time getting out the first time…" sighs Keith as he looks over at the princesses speculatively. "Perhaps, Princess Maia, since you have better knowledge of your powers than Princess Allura, would you be able to retrieve him?"

Shaking her head, Maia says, "Not from here. Space and time matter in magic, Commander. It is one thing to disappear from Storm Kingdom and arrive in Fire Kingdom, quite another to try to leave this planet and arrive on another."

"How close would you need to be?" the commander asks, his gaze inquisitive.

Maia throws her hands up in the air as she retorts, "How close can you get me?"

"What are you thinking of Keith?" Lance asks as he looks from Maia to the commander.

Sighing, Keith replies, "The moon on the far side of the planet. If we come up behind it in the lions and land there, I don't think they will see us coming. Maia could take us directly to the prince, we grab him then she can pull us out. Hopefully, without King Cova even noticing we've been there."

Shaking her head, Maia responds, "I do not think I could do it from that far. I need to be on the planet's surface."

"Damn…" Dropping his head, Keith thinks through several scenarios, discarding each in turn, he says, "We cannot declare open war on Pollux."

"We don't have to…"

The commander looks up at Lance as he says, "My lion is the fire lion right? So, what if we go in fast and hot…burning hot…like shooting star hot. They might mistake my lion for a meteor instead. We get to the surface of the planet and Maia can take us in from there."

Impressed despite herself, Maia nods as she looks back at the commander, "That _might_ work…"

"Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence _Princess_," derides Lance as he glares at the Fire Kingdom princess.

She returns the glare but Keith stops her from saying anything by stating, "Enough you two." Standing up, he continues, "Here's the plan, Lance, you, Maia and I will go in Red lion…"

"I wish to go as well," interrupts Allura as she looks at the trio.

Shaking his head, Keith answers, "Too dangerous…"

"It is just as dangerous for Maia as it would be for me," she retorts, crossing her arms in front of her.

Feeling his irritation rising, Keith opens his mouth to respond only to be interrupted by Maia as she says, "He is right Allura. You do not have full control of your powers, I do. I can get us in and out, in no time."

Allura looks around the room, finding no support, she finally replies, "Very well…" then sits down on the chair next to Romelle's side of the bed. The Pollux princess turns to smile tentatively at her and reaches out with her hand. Taking it, Allura looks back at the others, "When are you going?"

"Now…"

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A flash of bright light inside Red lion leaves the trio standing in the cockpit. Lance releases his hold on Maia's shoulder, feeling a bit dazed as he sits down in the command chair mumbling, "I'll never get used to that shit." He hears the snort of derision behind him from Maia but ignores it as he leans forward to place the key in its slot.

Keith shoots a warning look at Maia then steps in behind the command chair, "You're sure of this Lance? We won't just implode on impact?"

"Trust me, I have Coran scanning Pollux's surface for an open lava pit. We will come in fast like I said and land in the lava. Even if they send scouts to check, they won't follow us into the lava. Maia will get us in and out with the little prince then we will take off and be away from Pollux before they even know we were there," Lance quickly explains as he grasps the controls of the lion and runs him out of his hidden cavern. Just as they reach the enclosed entrance, the doors open and Lance flies the Red lion up into the air.

They leave Arus airspace and quickly start to move through space. A bright smile crosses Lance's face as he exclaims, "I bet Garrison would love to get their hands on these machines. They don't have anything that can move through space as fast as these lions."

"They have no claim!" Princess Maia snarls out then feels Keith's hand on her arm, trying to calm her, "He didn't mean we would hand them over Princess, only that they have nothing like them."

Lance glances back at her, incredulity on his face, "Do you honestly think I would hand Red over to them? Hell no! He belongs to Arus and me!" The mark on his hand ignites as he grabs the controller and pushes it forward, causing the lion to burn with red sparks as it pushes through space.

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Stepping out of the still steaming bath water, Romelle wraps a thick towel around her battered body then picks up another one to start wiping the water out of her hair. She sits down on the chair left in the bathroom for her then glances in the mirror. The sight of the bruises on her forehead and cheek make her grimace. She turns when she hears a soft knock at the door then her cousin's voice, "Romelle? Are you covered? Can I come in?"

Wiping at her face with the towel, she takes a deep breath then calls out, "Yes."

The door opens to reveal the Princess of Storm Kingdom. She smiles at Romelle as she says, "I brought you something more comfortable to wear besides these medical gowns."

Romelle glances at the clothing in Allura's hands and murmurs, "Thanks."

"They are similar to what I wear at night, but a little more concealing perhaps?" Allura sets the clothing down on the counter then looks at her. The bruising had turned a dark purple around the gash on her forehead. The bruise on her cheek was close to the same color. She watches her cousin finish toweling her hair then tries reaching for the brush on the counter.

"Here, let me help you."

Picking up the hairbrush, Allura gently pulls it through Romelle's hair as she asks, "How are you?" She looks over into the mirror to find Romelle looking back at her before she looks back down and whispers, "I do not know."

She watches Romelle shift uncomfortably on the chair and goes back to brushing her hair. "The princess of Earth Kingdom, Kaya is here as well. She would like to meet you and introduce you to her son, Audric."

"I…I do not know…" Romelle pauses to think as she feels the tears sliding down her cheeks once more. "I wish to return to Sven." She feels Allura pause with the brush and a hand squeezes her shoulder in understanding. The brushing continues as Allura works on a snarl gently then pulls the brush through the long length again.

Romelle soon feels herself relaxing under the ministrations as Allura says, "My mother used to brush my hair every night before I went to bed. She would brush it while telling me stories until I was almost asleep…it was so comforting. To this day, I think that is what I miss most about her, our times together at night as she brushed my hair."

Sighing sadly, Romelle tells her, "I miss my mother as well. When she died, my father…changed. He used to smile and was kind. I remember he would walk into the room and she would stop what she was doing to smile at him, to kiss him upon his cheek. He became abusive and uncaring after she died giving birth to my youngest brother." She wipes at the tears running down her cheeks, "When mother was alive, my father would have never consented to giving me to…Prince…Lo…" she stops, unable to say the name. A deep sob escapes her as Allura wraps her arms around her, hugging her tightly.

She feels a kiss on top of her head then Allura whispers, "You need to meet Kaya. She will be able to help you."

"How?" asks Romelle as she releases a deep shuddering breath.

"You shall see. Let's get you dressed."

She feels Allura's fingers in her hair, quickly braiding the mass. Her cousin steps around her a moment later and smiles, "I will leave you to dress. Kaya, Audric and I will be waiting in your room." Romelle looks up to argue only for Allura to walk out of the room. Glancing over at the clothing, she slowly rises and drops the towel.

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A few minutes later, Romelle runs her hand over the soft fabric of the shirt then picks up the robe waiting for her. She wraps the belt around herself then slowly makes her way to the bathroom door. Pausing just outside of it, she finds Princess Allura speaking to another woman. They stop when they see her and Allura smiles. "Romelle, come meet Princess Kaya of Earth Kingdom."

Romelle's eyes move over the other woman, noting the regal bearing and the soft smile offered as she steps toward her. "My son will be back soon. Like most young boys, he has a problem sitting still for any amount of time. He went to see Hunk, who is visiting Sven at the moment."

Moving closer to the Polluxian princess, Kaya looks over the bruises on her face and sighs before managing another smile, "I know where you are emotionally right now. It will pass and you will become stronger for having survived it."

Tears run down the Polluxian princess' face as she whispers, "How?"

The door to the room opens and a young boy with pale blue skin hastens into the room, "Mother, Hunk promised to take me out to Yellow lion and show me the insides, where the me…chan…ics are," he finishes with a slight stutter.

Romelle's eyes grow wide looking at the boy then she looks back at Kaya. The other princess smiles at her then pulls her son in front of her, "Audric, say hello to Princess Romelle."

The young boy puts his hands over his mother's and smiles charmingly at her as he says, "Hello Princess Romelle."

Sitting down on her bed, Romelle looks away from the boy back to Kaya, who smiles with understanding, "I know exactly where you are and what you are feeling. We can talk anytime."

"Talk about what Mother?" Audric asks as he looks up at her.

Kaya bends down and kisses him on the forehead, "Adult things, my son. You can go visit Hunk and Sven again if you wish." The prince smiles brightly, waves at Romelle, "Bye" then runs out of the room. Turning back to Romelle, Kaya sits down on the bed beside her and waits.


	26. Chapter 26

I make no claims to Voltron or any WEP characters.

Origins: A Legend Unfolds: Chapter 26

Another long hour passes on the flight to Pollux. Lance finishes entering information into his navigation system as he replies, "Thanks Coran, I've got the coordinates locked into the lion's trajectory. We will be on Pollux in five minutes."

"Very well, good luck and may the gods bless you. Arus out."

Looking behind him at the other two occupants within the lion, Lance says, "Brace yourselves, there will be a slight jarring when we hit the lava…" Nodding, Keith pulls out the side seats and sits down in one while Maia sits in the other, each pulling a shoulder harness around them.

Approaching Pollux, the lieutenant pushes the lion as fast as it can go, entering the planet's atmosphere. Fire flashes around them as they enter the clouds. Approaching supersonic speeds, lightning streaks around the lion as they hurtle toward the ground and the awaiting lava pit.

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From the castle balcony, Lotor studies the sky, admiring the magnificent lightning storm on the horizon. His hand moves from the balcony railing to his wounded shoulder as he once again curses the Voltron commander. Thanks to the Drule medi-bots he always has with him on trips, it would be fully healed within the next day or two. His eyes suddenly shift from the clouds to a ball of fire falling out of the sky. Tilting his head slightly, he watches it as it falls toward the ground. Suddenly, its direction changes slightly, something he would have missed if he had not been watching closely. A wicked smile crosses his face then he turns around to walk back into the castle.

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Turning off the controls, Lance reaches forward for the lion's key and stores it in his pocket as he stands up from the command chair. He watches Maia and Keith stand then asks, "Ready?"

"Yes," Maia replies as she takes a step between the two men to add, "Grab hold of my shoulders and close your eyes. It will lessen the effects of the transfer." When she feels the two strong hands on her shoulders, she closes her eyes as she thinks of the young prince and they disappear.

They reappear in a bedroom of the castle. Keith releases the princess immediately, his blaster in his hand as he looks about the room. He finds it empty but for a young boy, who lies unnaturally asleep on the bed. Glancing over at Lance, he says, "That must be Bandor. It looks like they drugged him. Get him and let's get out of here."

A flash of light blinds Lance so that he holds a hand up in front of his face. He lowers it when the light dims and hears, "Not so fast…"

Maia's eyes narrow on the two new comers. The king and his older son stand in the middle of the room, swords in hand. The older man glares at them as he says, "I knew you would come back for Bandor. My simpleton daughter lives to coddle him. His only use is to keep Romelle in line so that she would keep Prince Lotor happy while he is here."

"You son of a bitch…" growls out Lance as he reaches for his own sword, about to go after them.

Reaching out, Maia places a hand on his arm and shakes her head at him. Releasing him, she steps forward as she says, "What kind of father allows his daughter to be raped and beaten?"

"She is a girl, worthless except as a tool for advancing Pollux. Prince Lotor wanted her as part of our deal with Doom, so he got her and can use her as he sees fit," King Cova replies, his eyes blazing with his anger. With his free hand, he forms a ball of light, lightning cracking at the center of it. "Now you can die…" he says then throws the ball at them.

With a wave of her arm, Maia deflects the ball, sending it at the wall where it leaves a black mark against the wallpaper. Putting her hands together, fire erupts between them and shines in her eyes as she looks over at them.

"Impossible…" King Cova stutters, his eyes wide with shock as he backs away slowly, "Women on Arus are not permitted to use their powers."

Lance and Keith exchange a cautious look as Maia laughs derisively at them, "The old Arus, with its pathetic rules for royal women, is gone." She throws her hands forward, fire streaking from them across the room at the two men. Dropping his sword, Avok dives to the side away from flames, then pulls a blaster from his belt at the same time and opens fire.

"Get the boy!" Keith calls out to Lance as he begins firing on eldest prince while diving to avoid the shots.

"NO!" the king exclaims as he forms lightening between his hands and directs it at them.

Maia turns away to avoid it then sends a ball of fire at the king as Lance runs for the bed. He pulls the young prince into his arms and jumps away just as Avok yells and tries to dive for him. Avok rolls off the bed to the other side a moment later to avoid a ball of fire thrown at him.

Hurrying back to the other two as he throws the boy over his shoulder, Lance calls out, "Let's get the fuck out of here!" Both men grab onto Maia's shoulders and they disappear a moment later, narrowly avoiding a bolt of lightning.

"NO!" screams the Polluxian king in anger as the flash of light dissipates.

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Arriving in Red lion, Lance quickly hands the boy to Keith then sits down in the command chair while taking the key out of his pocket. The mark on his hand lights up as he grabs the controls and directs the lion up out of the lava pit and into the Polluxian sky.

He is swearing a moment later, "Doom fighters!"

"Damn it!" Keith calls out as he places the boy in the chair next to Maia's and straps him in, "Don't fight any more than you have to Lance, just get us out of here!"

"I'm on it!" the lieutenant retorts as he presses buttons to fire on the fighters while racing for space. Keith holds onto the command chair behind him and sucks in a deep breath as he watches a Doom battle cruiser heading toward them. "Faster Lance…"

"I know, I know!" yells Lance as he fires proton missiles at the cruiser then pulls back hard on the controls, climbing quickly into space.

Red lion shudders as it is hit with a missile and Lance swears broadly as he straightens the lion's path. He glances at the monitor focused on the backside of the lion to find several fighters back there, still firing. Turning the controls, he spins the lion as he continues to climb, avoiding the shots. As the lion shudders a second time, he curses then says, "That's it…" and pulls back on the controller, flipping the lion midair.

Maia gasps as she watches Lance head right at the fighters, firing proton missiles and watches the lava that flies out of the lion's mouth, taking out several of the Doom ships. Next, she listens to Lance yell, "Ion knife!"

As he flies through two more fighters, splitting them in half, she hears Keith order, "Damn it Lance, enough, get us the fuck out of here!"

"Yes, _Commander, sir_…" snorts Lance as he flips the lion again and heads for space once more. He pushes the controls forward and the lion moves into space at top speed.

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From his vantage point in the Polluxian control center, Lotor watches the monitor as his fighters are decimated by the lion and it takes off into space before the battle cruiser can catch up to it. He turns around, his malicious gaze looking about the room, daring someone to meet his eyes and earn his wrath. However, all of the Polluxian soldier have their heads down as they go about their business.

A growling sound of frustration escapes him as he starts for the door only to have the king and his son block him. Cova's face is red as he snarls, "They took Bandor."

"And with him, any chance to retrieve Romelle," finishes the Doom prince as he glares at the king.

"That is not my fault," Cova retorts, "They had help, a girl."

"Really?" Lotor asks in a silkily dangerous tone, "You let a mere girl stop you?"

"She was no mere girl," Avok answers, trying to defend his father, "She used magic against us. She threw streams of fire at us as the Garrison soldiers grabbed Bandor then they all disappeared."

Lotor narrows his yellow eyes at the prince for his imprudence and starts to reach for the sword on his belt. Cova steps in between them, "She must have been one of the surviving princesses of the old Arusian kingdoms trained to use magic. Something that has been outlawed on Arus for centuries. We were not expecting it."

Stopping his movement, Lotor nods then states, "Very well, but this does not bode well for our treaty."

"We will find a way to make it up to you Prince Lotor," the king replies then bows in deference to the prince.

Without saying another word, Lotor pushes past the two men and walks away. Cursing the stupidity of Cova and his offspring, he makes his way back to his quarters and picks up a bottle of blood red wine. He pours his wine glass full of it then sits down on a chair as two slave girls approach him. He motions to one and she bends down over him, undoes the bindings on his pants, freeing his erection. She quickly takes it into her mouth as Lotor orders the other one, "Strip."

The other girl begins swinging her hips to invisible music as she slowly removes her clothing for the Doom prince. As she becomes nude, Lotor turns his attention to the one servicing him, "Enough for now."

She stands and steps aside as Lotor gestures the nude one to him. Trying to draw his attention to them, she sways her hips as she walks toward him, stopping just in front of him. His gaze moves over her voluptuous body then he reaches forward to squeeze her breasts as he inquires, "Do you like that?"

"Yes, my prince, but it is not my pleasure we need worry about," she replies with a sexy smile on her face for him. "How may I pleasure you?"

Lotor smiles nastily to her, "Turn around."

As she turns her back to him, Lotor stands and impales her. She grunts in pain at the intrusion but soon starts making noises of satisfaction as he looks over at the other one, "Strip, I will need you soon."

Closing his eyes, Lotor grabs the slave girl's hips and continues his punishing pace. He is just getting into it and groaning slightly when a ball of light appears before him. Opening his eyes, he finds the image of Haggar in front of him. Continuing to pleasure himself, he states, "Can you not see that I am busy, old witch?"

Haggar smiles evilly at him, "You are capable of continuing what you are doing while you speak to me."

The Doom prince snorts in derision as he continues humping the girl, "Go on."

"Your father wishes you to return and plan the next assault on Arus."

Laughter erupts out of him, "What does he need me for when he has that idiot Cossack to abuse?" He groans with his release then pushes the girl away from him as he turns to sit back down on his chair. Picking up his wine glass, he takes a sip as he gestures to the other girl to service him once more. His penis disappears into her mouth as he looks back at the witch, "Arus is dead. What is left there for me to take?"

"What you enjoy taking most," the old witch informs him with a cackle, "Pretty princesses and their pretty virtues."

Lotor snorts as he shoves the girl's head down, forcing her to take in more of him, "I can get princesses anywhere. What is so special about the ones on Arus?"

"When I have finished with them, they will do your bidding as you see fit, without question and with pleasure…"

"I have that now witch!" Lotor states as he gestures to the two girls in front of him. He pulls up the face of the one that was sucking him off and demands, "You live to pleasure me, do you not?"

He can see the fear in her eyes she cannot hide as she forces a smile onto her face and replies, "Of course, my prince."

Anger courses through him as he yanks her up and turns her around, forcing her to sit upon his lap as he forces himself into her. His hands move up to squeeze her breasts cruelly as he orders, "Move! Show Haggar how you live to pleasure me!"

Tears run down her cheeks as the slave girl starts moving her hips against him while making sounds of enjoyment. Haggar's eyes flash yellow with humorous malevolence as she retorts, "These princesses will not fake their enjoyment Lotor. They will truly live to pleasure you."

He stares over the girl's shoulder into the witch's eyes and finally states, "Very well, I will return to Doom."

Haggar nods to him then her image is gone. Turning his attention back to the slave girl, Lotor stands and forces her off his lap. As she turns to look at him, he backhands her, sending her flying to the floor. He slowly approaches her, a menacing look to his eyes as he demands, "Who do you live to pleasure?"

"You…my…prince," she stutters as she stays painfully still on the floor, afraid to move.

"Liar…" he dangerously whispers as he reaches for the sword on his belt.

The other girl is there in an instant, her hand on top of his as she smiles winsomely at him once more, "Please, my prince. Let me help you forget your anger." Her hand moves up his arm to caress his cheek, "I can make you forget…"

Lotor jerks her to him and kisses her hard, drawing blood as his fangs bite into her bottom lip. He pulls back a moment later then yanks her up into the air. She instantly wraps her legs around him as he pushes into her. Lotor ignores the pain in his shoulder as she grabs onto them then starts moving against him, her head thrown back in ecstasy as she murmurs, "Yes…"

The girl on the floor watches as the Doom prince bites down hard on the slave's nipple, blood slipping down her breast and dripping onto the floor. Inching back slowly, the girl keeps watching the pair viciously fuck as she slowly works her way to the door then leaves the room.

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A few hours later, Keith sighs in relief as they approach Planet Arus. He glances over to the side seats to find Maia seemingly asleep, her head resting against the wall of the lion. His gaze moves down to the prince to find him stirring at long last. Slowly his eyes open and he looks around the lion in confusion. Keith turns to face him as Bandor tries to hide his fear while he demands, "Where am I?"

Holding his hands up in the air to show he means the boy no harm, the commander replies, "Safe. Your sister sent us to retrieve you."

"Romelle?" Bandor shakes his head, "But she was kidnapped by brigands, Father told me so."

"No, Prince Bandor," sighs Keith, pausing to notice Maia opening her eyes and turning in her seat to face the boy as well. "We rescued your sister." When the prince continues to shake his head in denial, Keith finishes, "She'll explain everything to you when we arrive on Arus."

"She is on Arus?"

Keith watches the boy closely for a moment then nods, "We will be on the ground soon."

When the prince's eyes move to the monitor to find them moving through the stratosphere, Keith meets Maia's gaze. The princess nods to him then sits back in her seat once more. Turning back, he finds Lance looking back at him then glancing over at the prince before he turns his attention back to piloting the lion. Praying that Romelle can explain everything to her brother as he promised, the commander watches as the lion approaches the entry for Storm Kingdom's lion cavern.

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Having returned to Sven's room after her conversation with Kaya, Romelle sighs as she shifts slightly to ease her position against the Norwegian. She feels his arm move around her to hold her tight against him then he twists his head to place a kiss against her forehead. Lifting her head, the princess smiles softly at him then puts her head back down on his uninjured shoulder. She is quiet for several minutes then finally asks, "When will they return?"

"As soon as possible," replies Sven, "It takes several hours to fly to Pollux and back."

"Do you think they will have any trouble?" Romelle asks tentatively, her fingers digging into his hospital gown.

Sven takes a deep breath and slowly releases it before responding, "I pray not. However, if they do, Keith will do his best to get everyone home safely. Remember, Princess Maia has very good control of her powers. She is a weapon herself."

"I know, but I worry," she sighs then adds quietly, "my father is a dangerous man."

"Yes, I became aware of how dangerous he is when we retrieved you." Sven turns his head to kiss the top of her head once more. "I'll never let him or anyone else hurt you again."

Feeling reassured, Romelle tightens her hold on him. Both turn to look when the door to the room opens. Lifting her head, she watches Maia walk into the room, followed by Lance and the commander. She rises from the bed when she sees the youngest member of the group walking between Lance and Keith, "Bandor!"

"Romelle!" The prince runs over to her as she moves around the bed toward him.

She pulls Bandor into her arms, hugging him closely. Tears are in her eyes as she looks over at the other three to say, "Thank you."

Keith nods to her, but before anything else can be said, Bandor pulls back to demand, "What happened to you? Father said these people kidnapped you…"

"No! No, Bandor, they saved me and you," the princess explains as she brushes his hair away from his face.

He starts shaking his head, dislodging her hand as he retorts, "But Father…"

"Lied to you," interrupts Romelle.

Keith watches the young prince continue to shake his head then looks at the other two, "I think we should leave and let Romelle have some private time with her brother." As they file out of the room, the commander nods to Sven then closes the door behind him.

From his position on the bed, Sven watches Romelle turn back to Bandor and sigh. Sadness shines out of her eyes as she begins to tell her brother the facts she had taken such care to hide from him while they were on Pollux.

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Lance waits until Keith walks away to report to Coran then looks into the observation window. He watches Prince Bandor angrily wipe tears from his cheek as he continues to talk to his sister. Turning his attention to the man on the bed, Lance finds Sven's eyes full of anger, his body tense as he slowly works his way into a sitting position.

"That poor boy."

Maia steps next to him as she looks in the window as well, "It cannot be easy to find out the man you have called father, who you trusted to keep you safe, is a monster that allowed his daughter to be raped for his own political gain."

"No, I can't imagine it is," replies Lance as he watches Romelle pull her brother to her to hug him closely.

Turning his gaze from the scene taking place in front of them, Lance turns to Maia. She continues to look in the room, her eyes slightly red. He touches her arm to gain her attention then says, "Good job back there, your Highness."

She studies him closely for a moment to detect if he is serious then replies, "Thank you, Lieutenant. You flew very well…I was…impressed."

Resisting the urge to laugh at the grudgingly given compliment, Lance smiles at her instead as he states, "Remind me the next time we start arguing not to piss you off to the point that you throw a fireball at me."

A real smile slips across Maia's face and humor shines in her eyes as she retorts, "You have come close already."

"I remember," he laughs as he replies then stops as he meets her gaze. Both stare intently at the other, remembering the kiss they shared the other day in Earth Kingdom. Maia breaks contact first, "I need to return to my kingdom and check on things then get some much needed sleep. Please tell Allura I will return tomorrow to conduct a lesson."

Lance does not get a chance to answer before she disappears. Sighing in disappointment, he starts walking down the hallway and leaves MedTech.


	27. Chapter 27

I make no claims to Voltron or any WEP characters.

Origins: A Legend Unfolds: Chapter 27

Stepping out of the steaming shower, Lotor wraps a towel around his waist then makes his way back into his rooms. His eyes move over the slave asleep in his bed and his mind goes over the last several pleasurable hours. The unending enthusiasm she had shown had kept him going and he had pushed her into position after position until she could no longer keep her eyes open. Thinking, _'I will have to bring this one back to Doom with me…'_ he moves over to the closet containing his clothing and dresses quickly.

Leaving the room, he makes his way down the hallways to the family dining area. Walking into the room, he finds King Cova and his son conversing as they slowly eat their meal. They stop speaking upon noticing his entrance and the king stands, "Prince Lotor, we had not thought you would be joining us this evening."

"I am not here to dine Cova. I must return to Doom to help my father with the nuisance that Planet Arus has become." His yellow gaze moves over the other two men and he makes a decision, "I want you and your son on Doom in two days time."

"Whatever for?" demands Cova.

"To show my father, King Zarkon, that you stand with Doom, you will help us with destroying Arus and those pesky lions for good." His eyes shine with malevolence, "Consider it a chance to avenge yourself on those that took your children and a display of your allegiance."

Cova looks from the prince to his son. The other man nods to him then he turns back to the Doom prince, "Very well. We shall be on Doom in two days time as you have requested."

Nodding to him, Lotor turns around and walks out of the room. As Cova returns to his seat, Avok states, "He is up to something."

"I know," replies Cova as he places his napkin back across his lap then picks up his wine glass. Taking a sip, he stares thoughtfully straight ahead for several minutes. When he turns back to his son, he says, "We play along for now. We will use Lotor to avenge ourselves on my niece and all of Planet Arus. Romelle and Bandor will be brought back here. When the time is right, Pollux will rise up against Doom and we will be the greatest power in the Denubian Galaxy."

Avok nods to him then looks up sharply as Cova says, "After dinner, I want you to go down to Mount Forza. Ensure that things are going along as scheduled and that no Doom personnel have discovered the lab. I want the prototype ready for testing by the end of the month." His eyes shine with rancor, "Pollux will not end up like Arus."

The young man watches his parent closely for several moments then states, "I will see it done Father."

Smiling, the king returns his attention to his meal. Avok glances down at his own meal, but his unease makes it difficult for him to enjoy it as much as he had before the Doom prince's interruption.

xxxxxxxxxx

Making his way along the hallway, Keith's head is down as he thinks through the next mission to retrieve the final heir. Deep in thought, he misses a door opening as he passes it and runs into someone. Hearing her soft gasp, he wraps his arms around her and turns them to keep them both from falling onto the floor. He grunts when he feels his back hitting the wall next him.

Allura sucks in a deep breath as Keith's scent fills her senses, her hands pressed against his muscled chest to steady herself. Looking up, she meets his gaze as they finally come to a stop and he asks, "Are you all right?" Conscious of his arms still holding her, the princess takes a deep, bracing breath then nods as she pushes against his chest, looking for her release.

Reluctantly, Keith loosens his hold as she steps back then asks him, "When did you return?"

"About fifteen minutes ago," he replies.

"Oh, I should go greet Bandor," Allura states then turns to start walking away.

Keith grabs her arm to stop her, "You might want to wait until later."

Confusion shines on face as she demands, "Why?"

Sighing, Keith releases her as he states, "When I left, Romelle was explaining to Bandor what had happened on Pollux. It isn't going to be easy for either of them."

Allura looks away unhappy as she replies, "No, I cannot imagine that it will be."

Glancing at his watch, Keith changes the subject, "It's nearly dinner time, can I escort you to the dining room?"

Surprised by the offer, the princess quickly nods, "Of course. That would be very kind of you."

Feeling a smile tugging at his lips, Keith replies, "No, you are kind to come with me. We will be a bit early and since I missed lunch, I'm hoping you will talk the kitchen workers into serving a little earlier."

At the sound of his stomach growling suddenly, laughter bubbles out of Allura and she takes his pro-offered arm then walks with him down the hallway.

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Walking into the dining room twenty minutes later, Lance stops in the doorway when he finds Keith and Allura sitting next to each other talking while eating. He watches the princess laugh at something the commander said, her eyes twinkling brightly as she touches his arm and responds to him. Moving farther into the room, Lance asks, "Did I miss the note about dinner being served early tonight?"

Allura shakes her head at him as she replies, "No, the commander was hungry so I asked the kitchen to serve us early." She gestures to the chair in front of them, "Please join us."

Sitting down, Lance looks across the table to find Keith's cheeks slightly red as he continues to eat. He looks back at the princess as she says, "Keith was entertaining me with tales of his youth."

"Keith? Entertaining?" asks Lance in a disbelieving way, earning a glare from the other man.

"Yes," Allura replies, oblivious to the looks passing between the two men. "He and his cousins played a prank on his uncle that was quite amusing." A dreamy look passes over her face as she replies, "I wish I could have done some of those things growing up. But a proper princess does not climb trees or throw water balloons on people passing by."

Lance opens his mouth to reply when the look on Allura's face changes to one of sorrow as she finishes, "Not that I could even play outside once Doom had taken over. Sometimes months would go by before I could go outside."

At the reminder that the princess' childhood had been less than ideal, the lieutenant shuts his mouth then nods to her. He looks over at the door a moment later as Hunk, Kaya and Audric walk into the room followed by Pidge and the advisor.

xxxxxxxxxx

Finishing his dinner, Keith sits back in his chair and studies the people around the table. He smiles to himself as he watches Hunk engage Audric in the conversation, earning a grateful look from Kaya. Soon, Pidge joins in as well, the three males discussing the lions and things they would like to do with them as the Earth Kingdom princess listens. His eyes move over to Allura, finding her in a deep discussion with Coran over some policies they have been working on.

His eyes move over the princess, noting the intense look on her face as she shakes her head at the advisor and begins arguing her point. Her body is stiff as she leans toward the older man and she uses her hands to gesture while she speaks. Feeling his body reacting to her, Keith forces himself to turn away. Looking across the table, he finds Lance staring at him with an arched eyebrow.

Irritated by him, Keith pushes his chair back from the table, earning everyone's attention. He forces a smile on his face as he says, "It's been a long day. I need to report into Garrison then I'm going to bed so I can get some sleep before my shift. See you all," he glances at Allura, "for practice in the morning."

She smiles at him with a nod then goes back to her conversation with the advisor. He meets Lance's sardonic gaze once more and rolls his eyes as he stands up then leaves the room.

xxxxxxxxxx

As Coran and Princess Allura say their goodnights and leave together to continue their conversation, Kaya looks over as Lance says, "I think I'll say goodnight as well. It's been a long day." He smiles at them then rises and makes his way out of the room.

Kaya glances over at Hunk then at Audric. Sighing, she tells Hunk, "I should contact my sister."

"We can take Audric with us to the conference room," offers Pidge. "My game system is still hooked up in there."

"That would be fun!"

Smiling ruefully at the hopeful expression on her son's face, Kaya replies, "I suppose that would be all right." Her gaze moves back to her son, "But after I have finished my conversation with Sophia, you will return to your room for the night. We will finish your lesson before you go to bed."

"Aww, Mother," Audric groans, "Could I not do it tomorrow?"

"No, it will not wait," states Kaya firmly, "You spent the afternoon with Hunk and Pidge in the lions instead of doing your lessons. I will not bend on this."

"Very well," sighs the boy then he looks over at Hunk, "Can we go now so I can play a little longer?"

Hunk nods to him then looks over at Kaya to wink at her, "I'll have Audric to his room within forty-five minutes."

"Thank you," the princess replies then stands up and leaves the room.

She makes her way down the hall to a room Allura had shown her on her tour of Storm Kingdom. Entering it, she says to the man at the desk, "I wish to call Earth Kingdom and speak with my sister."

He nods to her and presses a few buttons on the controls in front of him. When finished, he stands, "I will be outside."

Kaya thanks him then sits down at the controls, her sister appears before her a moment later and arches a perfectly shaped eyebrow at her, "Kaya, I was beginning to wonder if I was going to have to make good on my threat of showing up at Storm Kingdom with our guards."

"We spoke yesterday," the princess reminds her sister defensively.

"Yes, but not today and the hour grows late," Sophia retorts.

"I know," Kaya replies, "It has been a busy day." She explains everything that has occurred in the last day and a half then finishes, "I feel so sorry for Romelle and Bandor. At least our father tried to protect us."

She watches her sister nod, "Yes, he was an honorable man." Her brow wrinkles slightly as she asks, "Cova…was that not the younger son of King Byron?"

"I know what you are thinking. Yes, he was the one that tried to marry Aunt Arielle," states Kaya with a roll of her eyes.

Sophia shudders slightly, "To think, he could have been our uncle."

Nodding, Kaya says, "That brings me to another topic. They need help finding an heir to Wind Kingdom."

"I know," replies Sophia tentatively, "But we do not know if there is one."

"No, but the people of Wind Kingdom may be more willing to speak with me than with Allura or Maia," Kaya states logically.

"True," sighs Sophia then she gives her sister a determined look, "You will be careful. You and Audric are the only family I have left."

Kaya smiles at her, "I have Tsuyoshi here to protect me, do not worry."

A knowing look enters her sister's eyes as she humorously retorts, "Tsuyoshi, your great protector."

"Do not start. He is a good, kind man." Kaya groans quietly, sorry she had told her sister of her growing feelings toward the Earthling the day before.

"Yes, he is, if you defend him," laughs Sophia. She sobers a moment later, "Just be careful, there is more than one way to get hurt."

"I know my sister, I know," replies Kaya quietly.

xxxxxxxxxx

Hunk glances at his watch then clears his throat, "You need to finish Audric. I have to have you back at your room in five minutes."

"Aww," the boy sighs as he saves the game then hands the controller back to Pidge.

Smiling at him, Hunk says, "Would you rather have your mother mad at us for being late?"

Audric shakes his head quickly, "No, she is not very fun when she is angry."

Laughing, Hunk rises, "Come on kiddo, we better hurry so we are on time."

xxxxxxxxxx

They knock then enter Audric's bedroom a moment later. The prince looks around, curious to find the room empty then heads for the adjoining door. He calls out, "Mother?" as he opens the door then turns back to Hunk, "She is not here."

"Her visit with her sister must be taking longer than she thought," replies Hunk as he sits down to wait with him.

"Yes, she and Sophia like to talk a lot." The prince sits down on his bed, "I wish I did not have to do my studies tonight."

"I know, but you need to learn in order to be a wise king one day," explains Hunk as he moves from his chair to sit beside the prince.

Audric looks up at him, his eyes full of curiosity as he asks, "Will I get to be king?"

"Why wouldn't you be?" inquires Hunk.

"I am not like most Arusians," the prince states solemnly. He looks away, his shoulders drooping as he says, "I have heard the names the people call me when they think I cannot hear."

"What do they call you?" demands Hunk, his fury rising with each passing second.

"Half-breed, Drule boy, blue-boy, things like that." He looks back over at the big man beside him, "My mother and aunt try to protect me from it, but cannot all the time."

Hunk tries to hide his anger from the boy with a crooked smile, "Well, grow up to be smart and you will show them that the color of someone's skin doesn't matter."

The young boy stares up at him for a moment then solemnly asks, "Will you help me learn Hunk? I wish to learn everything there is about the lions and how they work. It is as important as the reading, math and science lessons my mother wishes me to learn."

"Yes," the big man replies as the door to the room opens and Kaya steps inside. She looks between them, notices the look of anger still residing in Hunk's eyes and asks, "What is going on?"

Standing up, Hunk takes Kaya's hand, "We need to talk for a moment."

She looks at him curiously then nods to him. They walk into her bedroom and Hunk presses the button to close the door between the rooms. He looks back at her then says, "What else do the people of Earth Kingdom say about Audric behind his back?"

Kaya looks distressed as she asks, "What have you two been talking about?"

"He told me the names people call him behind his back, half-breed, Drule boy…" he stops as his anger almost overwhelms him. He feels a hand against his cheek and turns to find Kaya smiling softly up at him.

Hunk stares down at her for a moment then firmly states, "I need to spend some time every day with Audric. I'm going to teach him everything about the lions. He'll need that knowledge when he is king of Earth Kingdom."

Gratitude fills her as she replies, "I would be most appreciative if you would teach him that."

Nodding to her, Hunk finishes, "Ok, I'll leave you to his lessons then," and he walks out of the room.

As the door closes behind him, Kaya sighs then heads for her son's room. She smiles at him as he asks, "What did Hunk want to discuss with you?"

Sitting down next to him on the bed, the princess informs him, "You will be spending part of each day with him, learning the lions." At the excited look in his eyes, she grabs his chin, "This is for learning, not for fun Audric. You need to know the difference."

"I do Mother," he states, "Hunk is going to teach me how they work and how to fly. I will pay close attention to everything he tells me."

Kaya nods to him then gestures to his desk, "Let us get to work."

Rising from his bed, Audric follows his mother to the desk and watches as she opens his history book and pages through it to find the next lesson.

xxxxxxxxxx

Sitting beside her brother's bed in his temporary room in MedTech, Romelle watches Bandor sleeping. Her mind goes over the last several hours, remembering the look on his face as she told him all of the things she had kept hidden from him. The repeated rapes, the beatings, all the things her father turned a blind eye to and allowed Prince Lotor to do to her. It had taken her a long time to convince him of the truth.

Bandor was still very suspicious of Sven, even after Romelle had explained how he had saved her from Lotor. Sven had not said much to the younger man. He simply told Romelle to let him think as he will, eventually her brother would have to accept the truth. _'The truth…'_ Romelle thinks, _'The truth that a group of strangers and unfamiliar family members care more for me and Bandor than our father does.' _

Saddened by the thought, she makes sure her brother is still asleep then rises from her chair beside his bed and leaves the room. Walking down the hall, she enters Sven's room to find him sitting up in bed as Dr. Gorma moves his injured arm about for him. She stands to one side and listens as the doctor asks, "How much pain do you feel when I pull the arm upright?"

She watches as the doctor moves the arm and Sven cringes slightly, but answers, "It's still painful, but tolerable."

The doctor nods to him then turns the arm another way while asking, "And this?"

"That really doesn't hurt," replies the patient as he looks at the doctor curiously.

"Very good. That means you are mending well," Dr. Gorma states then steps back. He looks at Sven closely for a moment then says, "You will be released in the morning. I will not require you to wear a sling, but I do ask that you limit the amount of weight you try to lift with that arm to no more than two pounds at least for another two days then we will re-evaluate it."

Sven nods to him then looks over at the princess to ask, "How is Bandor?"

"Asleep," replies Romelle as she steps toward him. She nods to the doctor as he wishes them a good night then moves to sit down on the bed next to the Norwegian. He reaches out and takes her hand within his, squeezing it gently.

Leaning over, the princess rests her head against his good shoulder as she says, "It will take him some time to come to terms with what happened."

Sven turns his head to place a kiss against her temple as he murmurs, "You as well."

"I know," she quietly replies as she wraps her arm around his waist.

Contentment fills Sven as he sits with the Polluxian princess for several long moments. He finally sighs as he says, "We should probably go to sleep."

Romelle reluctantly releases him then stands up as Sven shifts so that he can lie back down on the mattress. He stares up at her for a moment then asks, "Are you going to stay with me?"

"I want to," she starts then sighs as she looks back toward the door, "but if Bandor were to wake up and look for me…"

"He wouldn't be happy finding you in the same bed as me," Sven finishes for her. He smiles softly at her as he adds, "Goodnight, Romelle."

The princess returns the smile tentatively then glances at the door. She does not move however, and Sven sighs, drawing her attention once more. He studies her closely then asks, "Are you afraid to be alone?"

He watches Romelle take a deep breath then nod to him. Throwing back his covers, Sven rises as he says, "How about I come to your room and stay with you until you fall asleep?"

At the grateful look in her eyes, he smiles, "Just remember, you are safe here."

"I know, but I cannot help the feeling that as long as I am with you, nothing bad can happen to me," Romelle explains as he presses the button to open the door. He reaches back for her hand and squeezes it gently as they walk down the hallway together.


	28. Chapter 28

I make no claims to Voltron or any WEP characters.

Origins: A Legend Unfolds: Chapter 28

Next morning, Keith knocks on the door to Sven's room in MedTech then enters. He glances at the empty bed then calls out, "Sven?" The door to the bathroom opens and his friend walks into the room dressed in casual clothing. Arching an eyebrow at him, Keith asks, "Going somewhere?"

"Yeah, my own room," the Norwegian replies then adds, "Dr. Gorma has released me."

"How's the arm then?"

Sven sighs as he lifts it slightly then immediately lowers it again, "Still painful when I shift the wrong way, but I can move it at least. I have a lifting limit of two pounds for now. I'm hoping that will go up in a couple more days."

Nodding in understanding, Keith glances toward the door then asks, "What of Princess Romelle and her brother?"

"Romelle could have left MedTech yesterday," the lieutenant commander replies as he sits back down on his bed. "She chose to stay because she is more comfortable staying near me. Bandor only stayed here to be near his sister."

"How is Bandor doing?" Keith asks in a deceptively calm tone.

"As of last night, he was still having trouble believing his father would betray his sister that way, but he will come around. When I saw him this morning, he was a little friendlier than he was last night." As Keith continues to simply stare at him, Sven sighs, "He's just a scared child. There is no threat to our security there."

The commander finally nods in acceptance then states, "I would still feel better if you stick close to both of them for the next couple of days."

"I intend to," Sven smiles at him, "Romelle won't have it any other way."

Laughter erupts out of Keith as he asks, "Already?"

"I love her Keith…have since I set eyes on her," he informs him.

Keith's eyebrows go up in surprise, "How?"

"I can't explain it," Sven starts then looks away from him. When he looks back a minute later, he says, "It's almost like when I got this mark on my hand, I became tied to Arus and now Romelle." His gaze turns shrewd as he adds, "Don't tell me you don't feel something similar for Princess Allura. I've seen the way you watch her when you think no one is looking."

The commander feels his cheeks warming slightly but holds Sven's intent gaze as he answers, "Maybe."

"Maybe, my ass. I know you feel it."

Gritting his teeth, Keith retorts, "Weren't you the one warning me against falling for Allura, since she's a princess?"

A smile slowly creeps across Sven's face and his eyes dance with merriment as he replies, "Yeah, I was being a bit of a hypocritical ass, wasn't I?"

Laughter snorts out of him as the commander states, "Just a bit. Now look who has fallen for a princess?"

"I can't help it Keith," Sven responds, "She hasn't said the words, but I know she feels the same."

Nodding in understanding, Keith says, "We are skipping the morning workout and lion practice in favor of an early breakfast meeting on the trip to Wind Kingdom. Since you've been released, care to join us?"

Sven shakes his head as he replies, "No, I think I'll get Romelle and Bandor settled. I believe the rooms next to mine are available."

"Very well, I'll find you after and fill you in then," says Keith as he turns around and heads for the door.

As the door closes behind him, Sven works on moving his injured shoulder, doing the exercises the doctor had shown him that morning.

xxxxxxxxxx

Leading her son down the hallway then into the dining room, Kaya listens to his ongoing summary of his lessons from the night before. A soft smile plays on her lips as he finishes correctly reciting the names of the last ten kings of Earth Kingdom when they arrive to find the dining room empty. As she looks around curiously, she hears Audric ask, "Did we miss breakfast?"

Kaya sighs then looks over as the dining room door opens and asks the young woman walking out of it, "Where are the others?"

"They are having a breakfast meeting in the conference room, Highness. Princess Allura asked that I relay her apology for not alerting you herself," she replies as she sets a coffee pot on the table.

Finally noticing two place settings at the table, she directs her son over to them and sits down beside him. Their plates are soon set in front of them and Kaya watches her son eat as her mind goes over the possible subject of the meeting. At the realization that is probably over the trip to Wind Kingdom, she instructs her son, "I need to go check on something. Finish your breakfast and return to your room. You may read one of your books until I return."

At Audric's nod, the princess rises and leaves the room. Quickly making her way to the conference room, she knocks on the door then opens it. Finding everyone looking at her, Kaya smiles as she asks, "May I join you?"

Her eyes move over to Princess Allura as she stands and answers, "Of course. I would have invited you to join us earlier, but did not think this would be a good place for Audric."

"He is breaking his fast in the dining room then will return to his room," Kaya informs her as she glances around and notices the Fire Kingdom princess sitting at the table as well. As she walks around the table, Maia smiles at her in greeting. Her eyes continue to move about the room as she walks and she meets Hunk's smiling gaze. She nods to him in greeting as she sits down next to Allura. Kaya looks over at the commander as he clears his throat then continues the discussion she interrupted, "Pidge, Princess Maia and Lance will leave for Wind Kingdom within an hour…"

"I think I should go."

All of the eyes in the room look over at Kaya in shock as she explains, "The queen of Wind Kingdom was my aunt. Barden knows me and may be more willing to talk to me."

Recovering first from the revelation, Maia nods to her then looks over at Keith, "Makes sense…"

"If Princess Kaya goes, I will be going along as well."

Kaya quickly looks over at Hunk as he stands up, "She's my responsibility while away from Earth Kingdom…"

Holding up his hand to stop the argument, Keith shares an amused glance with Lance, who simply shrugs at him. Sighing deeply, he finally looks over at the big man, "Very well, Hunk, Pidge and Princess Kaya will be going to Wind Kingdom."

Sitting upright in her chair, a sudden thought comes to the princess, "My son…"

Allura grasps Kaya's hand as she says, "Do not worry. He will be well taken care of in your absence."

Settling back in her chair, Kaya smiles her thanks then looks over at Hunk, "I am ready to go when you are," to which, the big man blushes profusely.

As Keith starts going over the plans for their departure, Lance rolls his eyes and lets out a quiet snort at the obvious couple as he leans back in his chair. He almost yelps aloud a moment later as a heel digs into his foot. Turning toward the owner of that heel, he furiously whispers, "What did you do that for?"

Maia glares at him then whispers back, "Do not ridicule Kaya and Hunk's attraction. She deserves happiness."

"Are you about finished with your conversation, Lieutenant?"

The derisive tone of Keith's voice brings Lance's attention back to the meeting. Trying to keep his anger out of his own voice, Lance replies, "Yes sir," then sits back in his chair once more.

The meeting ends a few moments later with Hunk, Pidge and Princess Kaya walking out of the room to leave. As Lance stands up to leave as well, Keith stops him, "Since you won't be leaving for Wind Kingdom, I think we should work with Princess Maia and Allura on their lion training this morning instead."

Lance directs his attention down to Maia, who simply raises her chin up at him while returning the stare. He barely hears the commander say, "You will take Princess Maia in Red lion while I take Princess Allura out in Blue…"

"But Audric," interjects Allura, "I promised Kaya I would watch him…"

Forcing himself to look away the Fire Kingdom princess, Lance offers, "Sven and Romelle would be able to watch him. They were released from MedTech this morning." He gestures her to follow him out of the room as he says, "I'm sure Bandor is looking for someone to play with and besides, Sven is good with kids…"

Keith watches them go while shaking his head at them. He glances over as Maia stops beside him, "Is Sven good with children?"

"Well, he certainly has more patience than the rest of us to be sure," Keith says with a smile on his face then states, "I'm going to the control room to alert Coran to the plans. I'll meet you all down there."

Sighing, Maia follows him out of the room then hurries to catch up with Lance and Allura.

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Sitting on the side seat in the Green lion thirty minutes later, Kaya watches Hunk as he hangs onto the back of the command chair and talks to Pidge as he runs the lion through the underground service tunnel leading to the Wind Kingdom. As if feeling her gaze, the big man suddenly looks down at her and smiles, "We should be there soon."

Returning his smile, Kaya looks back at the display showing their progress as Pidge interjects, "Ten minutes actually…with these lions it doesn't take long to get there. It would have been even faster if we had flown above ground."

"Yeah, too bad we don't know where the entrance is to Wind Kingdom's compound," retorts Hunk as he glances sideways at the princess once more. She smiles up at him for a moment then reaches out with her hand to touch his fingers.

Hunk takes a step to the side then holds her smaller hand within his own while continuing to talk with Pidge.

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Appearing in Red lion with Maia, Lance gasps as he tries to calm down his now upset stomach. She smiles at him then immediately sits down in the command chair. He looks over at her then states, "Not so fast Princess…"

"We are here for you to teach me how to fly the lion, are we not?" she asks with her eyebrow arched up at him in question.

"We are," he gestures for her to rise and Maia reluctantly gets out of the chair, "but I will get us out to the training site first. Last thing we need is for you to accidently blow up the lair…"

Maia snorts derisively at him as she crosses her arms, "I know better than to simply start pressing buttons."

"Maybe so, but how do you think we learned how to operate the lions?" quips Lance as he places the key into the slot. The lion roars as it stands up, causing Maia to grab onto the back of the chair or risk falling onto the floor. Her eyes fall on his hand as he reaches for the guidance control and pulls back on it, causing the lion to start running out of the cavern. She continues to study his every movement until they reach the Vide Desert, where they see the Blue lion sitting patiently a ways away from them on the ground, as if waiting for them.

"Glad you two could join us…"

Keith's derisive tone echoes in the lion as Lance grimaces. Hitting the comm. unit, he replies, "I had an over-excitable student…took a moment to get her out of the command chair before we could leave."

They hear the sound of Allura's laughter in the background as Keith says, "Very well, keep the lion on the ground for now, no weapons. Today we only go through the mechanics of the lions. Once they've mastered the basics of walking running, and returning the lion to a sitting position then we can try for flight…"

"That shouldn't take all day," Maia whispers sarcastically.

Lance gives her a warning look as he lands the lion in the middle of the desert floor, puts it into a sitting position then rises from the chair. He holds out his hand in a mocking way, "After you Princess…"

Resisting the urge to snort at his mocking gallantry, Maia sits down in the chair. Excitement goes through her as she stares at all of the controls. Reaching out for the guidance control, she is stopped by Lance as he puts his hand on top of hers, "Whoa, first things first. We need to go through the controls."

Ten minutes later, Maia stifles her impatience as Lance finishes, "I think that is all for now, if you forget or get confused, please ask…"

"I can do this Lance," she finally bites out.

"Yes Princess…I'm sure you can," retorts Lance sarcastically as he moves to stand behind the chair, "For now however, let's start with walking across the field."

Biting her tongue, Maia reaches for the controls and pulls back on it slowly. She gasps as the lion stands back up. Through the monitor, she watches the Blue lion taking slow steps across the field toward her. Feeling a smile slipping across her lips, she twists the controls and feels the lion starting to move.

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Inside Blue lion, Allura laughs with pleasure as she pulls back on the controls, making the lion walk even faster. She feels Keith's hand on her shoulder as he says, "Easy Princess, let's finish walking across the field."

Sighing, Allura releases her hold on the controls and the lion slows down a bit as she finishes crossing the field. They pass the Red lion on the way across and Allura sighs as she notices that lion moving faster than she is. She starts to pull back on the controls again only to hear Keith clear his throat, "So far so good Princess. Let's get to the other side, then we can try to run."

Resigned to walking the lion the rest of the way, the princess slouches slightly in the chair. She hears a quiet chuckle behind her and glances back at Keith to find a smile on his face. "You have to learn to walk before you can run," he states then adds, "And you need learn how to run before you can fly." He smiles softly at her once more, "Patience Princess, you will be flying soon enough."

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Stopping before the closed steel doors that lead to the lion's cavern, Pidge puts the Green lion into a sitting position then looks back at Hunk, "Here we go…" The big man nods to him then looks over at Princess Kaya, "Ready for this?"

She nods as she unbuckles the straps holding her in her seat. She stands as Pidge opens the side hatch then steps back to let her out first. The other two men follow her to the ground and they move together to the doors. Pidge walks up to them then hammers on them. He steps back and meets Hunk's gaze once more as they wait for a response.

A moment later the doors open enough for a single man to step through them. His eyes travel over the lion then the people in front of him. His tone is belligerent as he says, "I thought Barden told you not to come back."

Kaya takes a deep breath then steps forward, "Please inform Barden that Princess Kaya of Earth Kingdom wishes to speak to him."

The man's eyes widen a little at the sound of her imperious tone but before he can reply, Kaya narrows her eyes at him, "Now."

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Pushing past his men as he quickly walks into the cavern that used to contain the Green lion, his eyes widen slightly at the sight of the woman standing between two of the Garrison soldiers that had come before. As he approaches them, she manages a small smile, "Hello Barden."

"Princess Kaya…" he whispers in disbelief, "We did not know that you had survived the invasions."

She nods then looks over at Hunk, "I used to come to visit my aunt from time to time before." She stops speaking to turn back to Barden, "We need your help." At the other man's nod, Kaya gestures to him, "Somewhere more private please?"

Barden looks at the two men with her for a moment then gestures them to follow him. They walk out of the lion's cavern and down one of the tunnels until they reach a set of double doors with a set of guards on each side of them. Barden signals to them and they step aside to allow them to pass. Hunk glances at the weapons on the guards as they continue down the tunnel. They walk past several room until Barden stops at one and opens the door then gestures to them to go inside.

They find themselves in a small conference room, with a viewing screen taking up the entire wall on one side. Hunk and Pidge stay on their feet and stand behind Kaya as she takes a seat at the table. Barden eyes the two men closely as he sits down across from her. Crossing his hands on the table, he states, "We are alone now. What has brought you to the Wind Kingdom after all of this time?"

"Voltron," she states simply.

"Voltron," he repeats, "You have the Green lion, what more could you possibly need from the Wind Kingdom now?"

"An heir."

His eyes narrow at her, "For what purpose?"

Kaya glances behind her at Hunk, who nods at her to proceed. She sighs as she looks back at Barden, "Voltron's spirit is broken. We need a child of each of the kings in order to revive him."

The other man sits back for a moment in his chair for a moment in contemplation then asks, "What if there is no heir of Wind Kingdom?"

"Surely there must be a cousin, niece, nephew…someone?" Kaya desperately asks as she leans across the table toward him.

Barden stares at her dispassionately for a moment then looks toward the viewing screen behind them. They hear a knock on the window a moment later and Kaya turns around to look at it, "Who is back there?" She turns back to the other man angrily and stands up to demand, "What I told you is of the strictest confidence! Who is in there listening?"

"I am…"

The sound of the voice comes over the speakers in the room and Kaya turns around to find a light on in the room behind, revealing a middle-aged woman. Her dark, black hair is pulled back from her face, revealing intelligent, hazel eyes and full pink lips that form a soft smile for the princess.

Kaya's eyes widen in shock as she exclaims, "Aunt Arielle!"

Hunk and Pidge share a shocked look as the woman walks out of the door in the room next to them, only to appear in their room a moment later. Kaya runs to her and the women are hugging as she cries, "I thought you were dead…"

"No my sweet," the older woman replies as she strokes her niece's hair. "Harold sent us below ground before the last battle. We were long gone before Doom infiltrated the castle."

Tears slide down Kaya's face as she clings to her, "If I had known…"

"Oh sweetie," the other woman interjects then pulls back to look at her more closely, "If I had known you were still alive, I would have had you brought here. We had heard that Earth Kingdom was no more."

Hunk looks away from the women over to Barden, "You've hidden her all this time."

"Kept them safe, it was my job."

"Them?" interjects Pidge as he takes a step forward, his gaze calculating.

The other man turns his eyes over to the queen and she takes a step away from her niece, "Yes, as I told you, my husband sent my daughter and I below ground before the last battle." She looks over at her niece a moment more than says, "My son was born seven months later."

"Son?" Kaya asks as she wipes the remaining tears off her face.

Arielle nods to her, "I was pregnant. Only Harold and Barden knew at the time." She takes a deep breath and sighs, "After the invasion, we did not know who to trust so chose to trust no one." Her gaze turns hard as she looks at Hunk and Pidge, "I would not risk Doom finding out about my son then trying to have him killed before he reaches his majority and can take the crown of Wind Kingdom. So please understand when I say I would like to limit who knows about my children, especially my son."

Hunk nods to her in understanding as he says, "We will need to inform our commander. However, we can ask that he limits who he passes the information onto."

"Very well." She looks over at Barden, "Please bring my daughter and son in here." He nods to her, but pauses to look at the two Garrison men once more. Arielle smiles as she states, "I am perfectly safe Barden. These men are with my niece, they are trustworthy."

He nods once more then walks out of the room. Arielle gestures to the men, "Please, sit down." She holds out a hand to Kaya and directs her to a chair as well. As she takes a seat, Arielle says, "Now tell me more about Voltron. What do you mean by needing heirs to try to revive his spirit?"

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Satisfied with Allura's progress as she runs the lion across the field for the fifth time, Keith cannot help the smile that crosses his face as she laughs in delight. She turns the control, jumps off a rock then lands on the desert sand once more before continuing to run across the valley. He glances at his watch then says, "We should call a halt to this for today."

Allura turns around in the chair, "But I have not flown yet."

He smiles down at her, "You will…tomorrow."

Leaning over the chair, he hits the comm. unit, "Lance, enough for today. Let's get back to the compound for some lunch."

They can hear Maia's indistinct complaints coming across as Lance replies, "Copy that."

"She does not want to quit either," Allura states then adds, "Why must we quit?"

"Because I am hungry," replies Keith with a smile. At the mutinous look on the princess' face, he adds in a placating way, "After lunch we will work on your defense some more."

She grumbles, "I would rather train in the lion…"

Keith starts laughing at her then gestures for her to rise, "All good things come with time and a little patience Princess. Tomorrow is another day."

Reluctantly, Allura rises from the command chair as she replies, "Fine, but you will take me out again tomorrow?"

"Yes, your Highness. I promise to take you out in the lion again tomorrow," Keith answers as he sits down in the chair. He notices Red lion has not moved and hits the comm. unit again, "Lance, what's going on? Why haven't you started back yet?"

Silence then, "Small argument here, Cap…"

Sighing with irritation, Keith presses the button once more, "Princess Maia, I order you and Lance to return the lion to its lair." More silence then he presses the button again, "You made a promise to follow my orders Princess…"

"Very well."

Maia's resigned tone echoes within the response and suddenly the Red lion is flying up into the air. Glancing back at Allura to find her equally unhappy expression, Keith sighs again then pulls back on the controls, turning the lion toward the Storm Kingdom compound.

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Nodding her understanding as Kaya finishes relaying the events of the last few days, Queen Arielle sits back in her chair with a sigh, "I understand." She glances at the other two men then says, "I will agree to Devika going along with you as long as I can come along as well."

"And your…son?" asks Pidge.

"Prince Harold will stay here with Barden," smiles Arielle then she looks over at Kaya, "I named him for his father."

Kaya returns the smile as well, "I also have a son, Audric."

"But how?" asked the queen, "I did not think you were married before the invasions…"

The smile leaves her face slowly as Kaya looks away. She feels a large hand covering her own a moment later and looks up to find Hunk smiling at her encouragingly. Taking a deep breath, Kaya looks back at her aunt to say, "I was raped…by the Drules."

As her aunt pales, Kaya wipes at the sudden tears sliding down her cheeks then reaches over to grasp her aunt's hand, "I love my son…he is _my_ son."

Arielle nods to her then looks over as the door opens. Barden leads in two people, a teenage girl and a nine year-old boy. The boy is tall for his age with short, brown hair and his mother's hazel eyes. He looks at the visitors curiously then asks, "Mother, who are these people?"

Sitting back in his chair, Pidge's eyes study the girl closely as Queen Arielle explains who they are to her son. _'I saw her by the lion when we were here last…' _he thinks to himself as he takes in the long, black curly hair that hangs to her waist. A small face with curious, green eyes stares back at him and he is once again reminded of a fairy. Pidge smiles at her and is pleasantly surprised when she smiles back before turning her gaze back to her mother as she is introduced.

"My daughter, Princess Devika." Queen Arielle gestures her forward, "will accompany us back to Storm Kingdom."

Devika looks over at her mother in surprise, "I am going to Storm Kingdom?"

"Yes…"

"Why can I not go?" interrupts Prince Harold as he looks at his mother with pleading eyes.

Arielle sighs deeply then tries a placating smile on her son, "I need you to stay here and help Barden with the security of Wind Kingdom. Devika and I will not be gone long."

The young prince sits down in a nearby chair in a slump, "I never get to go anywhere."

"Now Prince Harold," Barden says as he sits down next to the boy, "You know I count on you to help me out with the security decisions. What would I do if you were not here to help?"

Hunk and Pidge share a surprised look over the gruff man's sudden behavior change, at least toward the boy. They watch as a smile crosses the young boy's face even as he grumbles, "You do not need me for that…"

"Of course I do…"

"It is settled then," states Queen Arielle as she stands up. Gesturing to Barden, she says, "Please show our guests to rooms they can use for the night." At the looks on Pidge and Hunk's faces, she adds, "There are a few things I must take care of before we can leave. So we will dine tonight, get to know each other better than leave on the morrow."

"Can I come to the dinner at least?" asks Prince Harold with an excited look on his face. "I want to know more about the lions and Voltron."

"We would be happy to answer any questions the prince may have," replies Pidge as the queen looks over at him. She smiles her thanks then looks back at her son, "Yes, you may. First, you will return to Master Terrell and finish your lessons. Devika, please take him…"

He grumbles his complaints once more as he is lead out of the room by his sister. Pidge watches her go then forces his attention back to the queen as she says, "Barden will see to your needs. I will see you at dinner," then follows her children out of the room.

The group turns their attention to the older man as he stands back up his temperament once again gruff, "Follow me, I will see to your rooms and I will have lunch brought to you. Do not leave the rooms without an escort." His eyes turn fierce, "You will not like what will happen if you are found wandering around without an escort."

Hunk raises an eyebrow at him but refrains from responding to the threat. He looks over at Pidge, who speaks, "We will need to contact Storm Kingdom long enough to let our commander know what is happening."

Barden nods to them in reply then states, "Follow me," and leads them out of the room.


	29. Chapter 29

I make no claims to Voltron or any WEP characters.

Origins: A Legend Unfolds: Chapter 29

Sitting in the dining room alone, Allura wonders where everyone else is then looks at her watch again. After returning the lions, the commander had stated he was going to check on a couple of things then he would be in. Maia had said she needed to return to Fire Kingdom for a while and had disappeared after promising Allura that she would be back later in the afternoon for another lesson. Her head swivels around when she hears someone approaching.

Her advisor walks into the room alone and Allura looks at him in askance, "Where is everyone else?"

"A late call came in from Wind Kingdom on a private line. The commander said he would be in as soon as he finished speaking with his men."

Allura nods then inquires, "What of the lieutenant, Sven, Romelle and the boys?"

After placing his napkin in his lap, Coran replies, "I am not sure exactly where the lieutenant went. The others are having a 'picnic' lunch together in the conference room." At the confused look on the princess' face, he quickly adds, "Princess Romelle was not entirely comfortable…"

She holds up her hand to stop him, "I understand."

Coran smiles at her then says encouragingly, "Perhaps she will feel up to joining us for dinner?"

"I will ask her myself later," states the princess then turns to the door when she hears footsteps once more. The commander walks in while talking to Lance and both stop when they see the near empty table. Lance smiles as he teasingly asks, "Do we offend?"

Returning the smile as he moves to take a seat across from her, Allura shakes her head, "No, it sounds like Sven and Romelle are continuing to keep the boys entertained with less formal dining." She watches the commander move into the room and takes the seat next to her. The slight scent of his aftershave reaches her nose and teases her senses in a pleasant way. She had noticed it more in the lion when he had stood right behind her chair the entire time but refused to be distracted by it during the training. Inhaling it deeply now, Allura notes the different scents of citrus, pine and the smell of someone who has spent a great deal of time out of doors coming in waves off him.

She startles slightly as he says, "After lunch I need to run a couple of things by you and Coran in private then we will go work out in the gym." Narrowing her eyes slightly, Allura asks, "Work out? I thought we were going to work on my defense."

Keith smiles winsomely at her, causing a tingling sensation that starts in her breasts and slides down as he teasingly whispers, "We will, but you can't get out of our five mile run that easily…"

"Oh…you brute!" Allura states crossly as she looks away. His laughter rings in her ears as he adds, "Don't worry, Lance will be joining us. He won't get out of it either."

She hears a groan coming from across the table then Lance replying, "Don't you know it's bad for you to run on a full stomach Keith?"

"Well, don't eat yourself stupid," the commander retorts as the servants begin walking in with their plates.

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While taking a sip from her water glass, Romelle's eyes move over the two boys sitting next to each other at the conference room table. They had become fast friends after being introduced that morning and had spent the day playing games and talking about their homes. Smiling at the boys as they tease each other while eating their sandwiches, Romelle finally interrupts them, "Boys, you know better than to speak with your mouth full."

As Bandor groans at the reprimand, Audric says, "I know, but my mother is not here to correct me…"

Sven starts laughing as Romelle corrects him, "Well I am. So please mind your manners."

"Yes ma'am," the young boy says as he puts his head down as if in shame. It comes up a moment later as he asks, "Can we play the video games again after we finish eating? I want to play Sven again."

"Where's Pidge when I need him…" sighs Sven as he wipes his face tiredly. "This boy has already beaten me six times…"

"Seven," Audric corrects him then smiles unrepentantly at him, "But you were getting better."

Romelle laughs at him then says, "We shall see."

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Sharing their room together in Wind Kingdom, Pidge finishes eating his lunch as Hunk starts pacing the room. He watches the big man for several minutes then says, "Will you sit down?"

Hunk glares at him then states, "I don't like that they put Princess Kaya in a separate room and I am not allowed to go check on her."

"I'm sure she's fine, Hunk. Her own aunt isn't going to hurt her," reasons Pidge as he puts his fork down beside his now empty plate. He settles back onto the chair and sighs, "But I do wish they would give us leave to go do something…"

The door to the room opens to reveal Princess Kaya and her cousin, Princess Devika. The younger woman studies the men closely as Kaya says, "Good, you are done with your lunch."

Moving to stand in front of her, his eyes raking her over, Hunk asks, "Are you all right?"

"I am fine Hunk." She smiles up at him as she reaches out and places a hand on his chest, "This is my aunt's home, no one will harm me here."

He nods to her then glances at her cousin before admitting, "I don't like be locked in this room, unable to find you if needed."

Devika smiles up at him as she states, "You can certainly go check on Kaya if you feel the need to. She is in the room across from this one."

"Not the way Barden made it sound," grumbles Pidge. "He put us under martial law."

A bright giggle escapes the teenager, the sound of which makes Pidge's breath catch as she says, "He's an old phony…Harold has him wrapped around his little finger. He just likes to sound tough."

Hunk and Pidge share a look that states they would not like to test that theory and Pidge clears his throat, "Is there somewhere we can go just to get some exercise? We aren't used to sitting around…"

"Oh, yes," Devika smiles up at her cousin, "Kaya mentioned that you were probably going stir crazy by now. That is why we are here." She gestures for them to follow, "We have a facility you can use."

As they make their way out of the room, Pidge finds himself walking beside Devika as Hunk and Kaya walk behind them. He startles slightly as she asks, "So you pilot my father's lion?"

"Yes," Pidge replies, "I won the key to Green lion."

"Is it true you have the mark on your hand?" she asks, her tone a little more excited now.

Pidge holds out the back of his right hand for her to see. She stops, grabs his hand with her left and studies it closely. He glances sideways at Hunk and Kaya as Devika runs her fingers over the tattoo, "I remember this mark being on my father's hand." She glances back up at him speculatively, "Does this mean you are king of Wind Kingdom now?"

"NO!" answers Pidge quickly as he pulls his hand away from her, "I'm a soldier and a pilot. _I am not a king…_" He feels a hand on his shoulder and turns to find Kaya with an understanding smile on her face. "No one expects you to take that position Pidge."

"Besides," Devika interjects with a thoughtful expression on her face, "My brother has been groomed since his birth to become king." She smiles coyly at him, "I am glad to hear that you are not after his throne."

Pidge narrows his eyes at her as he states, "And if I had been?"

"You would have had to have an accident," Devika states dispassionately with a slight shrug of her shoulders.

"Is that a threat Princess Devika?" asks Pidge, his tone low and carefully neutral.

Her eyes brighten and shine with her amusement as she giggles at him again, "Not from me…Barden was talking to my mother about you and the mark on your hand." Leaning over, she surprises him by kissing him on the cheek, "My mother will feel much better knowing you have no desire to take my brother's throne." She takes his hand within hers and pulls him along with her. "Come, let us get to the exercise room."

Pidge looks back at Hunk and Kaya with a confused look on his face then turns to start following Devika again. Kaya shares an amused glance with Hunk and takes his hand within hers as they follow.

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"Ahh…not again!" Sven exclaims as he drops the game controller on the ground to the laughter of the two boys around him. Romelle watches him from her seat farther down the table, her eyes twinkling merrily as she attempts not to laugh at him as well.

The door to the room opens to reveal the advisor, who takes in the scene the as he asks, "Everything all right in here?"

"Save me Coran…" appeals Sven as he stands up, "They're enjoying my humiliation way too much."

The older man's moustache twitches with a smile as he asks, "You are letting two children beat you at a game?"

"I would like to see you win against them," grumbles the Norwegian as he sits back down at the table.

"Very well," he replies as he moves across the room, "Please feel free to take Princess Romelle and go for a walk." Coran winks at them, "I will show these youngsters how to win at this game."

Taking his suggestion, Sven quickly rises and then helps Romelle to her feet even as she starts, "But surely…" He places a finger against her lips and whispers, "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth," as he directs her out of the room.

Once outside of the conference room, Romelle asks, "So what are we going to do now?"

Sighing, Sven says, "I could use a walk, let's go down to the gym." He pauses as he looks at her, "Unless you want to do something else while I use the treadmill…"

She shakes her head at him, "While I will not use the equipment, I will go with you." She smiles shyly, "I wish to be where you are."

Holding her hand, Sven tightens his grip on Romelle's fingers slightly as they walk into the gym. She smiles over at him then looks around curiously to find Allura running with the commander, and the one called Lance, around the gym. Pausing, she pulls back on Sven's hand while asking, "What is she doing?"

Sven looks over to spot the runners and smiles, "Princess Allura trains with us now." He directs Romelle over to a chair. "While I can't run with them yet, I can lift some weights with my arms and walk on the treadmill." Leaning down, he kisses the top of her head, "If you get bored, feel free to leave. You don't have to sit here and watch the entire time." She smiles up at him then turns her gaze back to the running princess. Sven shakes his head at her then makes his way over to the equipment.

Fifteen minutes later, Romelle sucks in a deep breath as she watches Allura move into the middle of a gym mat with the commander. She runs at him and he throws her away from him only to roll in the landing then jump up to a standing position once more. Romelle listens as Keith says, "That's it Princess, you need to roll out of the landing and get back onto your feet as soon as possible. Now, do it again and faster."

Leaving her seat, Romelle steps up to the treadmill Sven is walking on to ask, "What are they doing?"

Stopping the treadmill, Sven turns to look over at the gym mat as Allura once again rushes Keith, only to be thrown across the mat. Looking back at Romelle, he answers, "He is training Princess Allura."

"For what?" Romelle asks, still watching the other two closely.

Sighing, Sven steps off the treadmill to answer, "How to defend herself, to fight back if attacked and to get away from an attacker."

Swiftly, Romelle looks back at Sven, her gaze intense, "Can you teach me that?"

"Yes," he replies then gestures at his shoulder, "But I won't be able to work with you like that until I've fully healed." At the disappointed look on her face, Sven says, "Keith would probably be willing to train you with Princess Allura if you wish."

Romelle looks at him excited, "Do you think he would?"

Nodding, the Norwegian touches her cheek, "He would have to touch you though, much the same way he's touching Allura now. Can you handle that?"

Looking back at the pair working on the mat, she watches as Keith picks up Allura as she runs at him then tosses her off to the side. Pay particular attention to where the commander had placed his hands, Romelle turns back to Sven, "I think so, he does not touch her in a personal way."

Sven glances over at the mat as well and watches Keith toss Allura for the fourth time. Knowing that the touching could get personal way too quickly, he sighs then gestures for Romelle to follow him. Walking up to the mat, he calls out, "Commander, I have another student for you."

Stopping, Keith looks over at Princess Romelle to find a tentative, yet hopeful look in her eyes as she stands next to Sven. Walking over to them, he asks, "She wants to learn defense as well?"

"Yes, she does." A look of understanding passes between the two men then Keith looks over at Romelle. She takes a small step back as if afraid, but then her chin goes up and her eyes become determined as she says, "Please Commander Kogane, teach me how to defend myself."

He smiles at her then gestures to Allura, "You may join us if you wish. You'll be a bit behind Princess Allura in the training at first, but I'm sure we can get you up to speed soon enough."

Romelle smiles brightly at him then looks over at Allura, who states, "I guess we better find you some clothes you can work out in." She steps past Keith to take Romelle's arm and leads her away while saying, "Now do not panic…but, he expects us to be able to run five miles a day…"

Trying not to laugh as their voices fade and he misses Romelle's reply, Keith looks over at his wounded friend. Sven is laughing quietly, his eyes twinkling with merriment as he says, "I would have loved to hear Romelle's response to that."

Laughter bursts out of Keith as he clasps him on his good shoulder, "Let's get a bit of a work out in before they come back." Walking together, they move over to gym equipment.

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Moving down the steps away from his ship, Lotor pauses at the bottom to look around the landing bay. Several ships are in the bay with soldiers moving about them, loading weapons and other supplies. He looks up to find General Cossack looking down from the bay's control room. The general nods in deference to him then turns away to speak to someone else. Smiling at the irritation that is clearly visible on the other Drule's face from his appearance, Lotor makes his way across the bay and into Castle Doom.

Walking down the hallway, Drules and robot soldiers alike stop and bow to him as Lotor makes his way down the hallways. Reaching the entrance to his personal quarters, he starts pulling off his clothing as he orders a nearby slave, "Bring me someone new."

"Yes, my prince."

Entering his bathing chamber, the prince lowers himself into the heated water then rests against the back wall. The jets soon turn on, the powerful water pushing against the sore muscles of his body. Groaning with pleasure, Lotor relaxes his body and throws his arms back along the edges of the pool as the door to the room opens and several scantily clad women walk in.

His eyes move over them in apparent boredom before he points to one, "You, in the red…join me."

A thin woman wearing a skin tight, red lace halter and see through skirt steps forward as the others leave the room. Her shiny, black hair flows to her waist in soft waves as she enters the pool and slowly makes her way to him. Her emerald green eyes seem to flash as her rosy lips form a pout, "I have been waiting a long time for this, my prince."

Lotor's eyes move over her form, taking in the perfectly formed breasts with the pert nipples clearly visible through the lace. He looks back up at her and studies her eyes closely. He notices a slight flash of yellow then anger has him quickly rising, "Haggar!"

A high-pitched cackle echoes in the bath chamber as the form of the girl changes to that of the old witch. She rises above the water to float back over to the other side as she cackles, "What? You don't want to give an old girl a little pickle tickle?"

Snarling with rage, Lotor climbs out of the water as he demands, "What is the meaning of this?"

Her yellow eyes move over his nude, muscular frame in appreciation as she replies, "Can't a girl have some fun?"

"I have something you can have fun with…" the prince retorts as he moves over to his dropped clothing and pulls out his laser sword. As it lights up, the witch laughs again, "Now, now my prince…you need to let old Haggar have her joke."

"Joke…" Lotor snorts as he walks back toward her, "What do you want hag?"

"I told you…I need your help to take the offspring of the Arus kings." Haggar's eyes flash with malevolence as she states, "I will take their souls and with them, their powers."

"And how will that give me what I want?" inquires the prince as he glares at her.

"In place of their souls, I will fill their minds with love and desire for you and you alone. They will grant your every wish, fulfill your every desire." Haggar moves closer to him and once again becomes the beautiful slave girl. She smiles sexily at him as she throws back her long, black hair, causing his gaze to drift back down to her breasts once more. Her voice is soft as velvet as she says, "Perfect queens for Doom. They will never question, never doubt, or fight you." Her hand reaches up to caress his cheek. "You will have all that you have ever desired in a queen. Beauty, submissiveness and an un-quenching thirst…for you…" her hand drifts down his chest to caress his erection, "all of you, for the rest of their lives."

Lotor stares into her eyes for a long moment then steps back away from her teasing hands. His gaze is calculating as he asks, "What of my father? That old fool seems determined to live forever."

Her green eyes briefly flash yellow as she relaxes against the wall beside her, shrugs then replies, "Accidents happen every day…even to kings."

A malicious smile lights Lotor's eyes as he laughs, "Very well. I will help you get what you want in exchange for what I want." He walks over to a nearby table and pours himself a cup of wine. Sipping it, he looks back at the witch, "Tell my father that you have a plan and that I will help you carry it out." At her nod, he gestures to her, "Now get out of here before the sight of you gives me indigestion."

She laughs…the sound turning into an evil cackle as she changes back into her normal form. As she turns toward the door, Lotor orders, "Send back in the blonde…I need her to take the image of you out of my mind."

Laughter echoes in the bathing chamber and slowly fades as Haggar makes her way out of the room.


	30. Chapter 30

Been a while since I've thanked the many reviewers. It means a lot that you all are enjoying the story so much. Here's hoping you continue to.

I make no claims to Voltron or any WEP characters.

Origins: A Legend Unfolds: Chapter 30

Entering the Wind Kingdom's exercise room, Pidge's mouth drops open in surprise. He closes it quickly when he hears Devika's quiet laughter in response. Hunk's gasp soon sounds behind him as the big man and Princess Kaya catch up to them. Pulling away from Devika, Pidge walks farther into the room to admire the obstacle course in front of him. It takes up most of the room. Climbing walls, hanging ropes, narrow ledges, ladder runs, tunnels and trapeze units line the course.

"Keith would be in heaven here…"

Pidge glances sideways at Hunk the other man stops beside him. He nods to him then looks back at the course as Devika runs past him, deftly climbs up a wall then jumps out to grab a horizontal bar. She flips her body around on until she is sitting on top and staring down at them. She gives Pidge a daring look and he smiles at her before quickly climbing the wall and flipping up onto the horizontal bar, stopping next to her. She smiles broadly at him as she explains, "This was my playground growing up. I used to spend hours in here playing."

"But you aren't grown up yet," replies Pidge as he arches an eyebrow at her.

Devika gives him an irritated look, "I am not a child. I stopped being one a while ago."

Silence falls between the pair as Pidge studies her closely for a moment. His eyes move over her face then holds her intense gaze before he finally agrees, "No, I don't believe you are."

"Are you two having fun up there?"

Hunk's deep voice breaks the spell between them. Pidge feels his cheeks reddening as he looks back down to the ground to find Hunk smiling broadly up at them. Clearing his throat, he looks back at Devika, nods to her then jumps back down to the ground. Devika lands beside him a moment later and gestures to the other two, "Please make use of the room as you wish."

Taking Hunk's hand within hers and leading him farther into the room, Kaya can be heard saying, "Audric would love this…"

Turning his attention back to the princess beside him, Pidge asks, "Are you going to join us?"

Intelligent, green eyes stare back at him in contemplation for a moment then she replies, "I should go see to my own packing. There are several things I need to accomplish before we leave in the morning."

Feeling disappointed, Pidge nods then starts to move away from her only for Devika to walk back up beside him again as she says, "I suppose I could see to it after dinner though."

Smiling at her, Pidge gestures to the course, "Race to the other side?"

Her eyes flash with interest at the challenge then she replies, "Since I know the track and you do not, I will give you a head start."

Laughing, Pidge states, "You will regret that..." then takes off ahead of the princess. She watches him for a moment, deftly climbing a wall and flipping onto a horizontal bar then goes after him.

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Walking into the dining room that night, Allura is happy to find Romelle, Sven and the boys seated at the table along with Coran and Lance. She smiles at them in greeting then asks, "Where is the commander?"

Lance gives her a little knowing smile as he answers, "He's on duty in the control room. Said he would eat later."

Feeling disappointment welling up in her, Allura turns her attention to the other people in the room.

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Sitting at the dining room table in Wind Kingdom, Queen Arielle watches her daughter closely as she says something to the Garrison pilot called Pidge and he starts laughing. His head is bent down toward the princess' again a moment later as she whispers something else to him.

"Do not worry Aunt, he means her no harm."

Turning her head to look at her niece, Arielle nods as she replies, "I know. It is only that I have never seen Devika behave like that with another person."

Kaya smiles as she glances over at the pair across the table from her. Since the race in the gym, which resulted in a tie, Pidge and Devika had been inseparable and had spent the afternoon talking continuously. She takes a bite of her food and chews it delicately as she continues to contemplate the young couple across the table. Turning back to her aunt, Kaya asks, "Would it be a bad thing if she liked him?"

Shocked hazel eyes look at her then back across the table almost immediately. The queen is silent for a long while before she finally speaks, "I guess not. Devika is not engaged to anyone, but I think she is still too young." She glances across the table to find Hunk staring at her niece for a moment before his attention is taken by Harold's next question. The prince had been peppering the pilot with questions since dinner had started. Turning her head, Arielle looks Kaya in the eye as she asks, "What about…Hunk? He seems to be keeping a close eye on you?"

A warm look enters Kaya's eyes as she looks across the table at the pilot in question. When she looks back at her aunt, a smile is also on her face, "Tsuyoshi is a very kind man."

Confusion shines in her aunt's eyes as she asks, "Ts..ye…"

Taking pity on her, Kaya pronounces it again much slower, "Tsuyoshi is his real name. Hunk is a nickname his brothers gave him."

"Is that so?"

The smile leaves Kaya's face and her cheeks turn red as she notices the speculative look her aunt is giving her, "Arielle…"

Laughter escapes the queen as she reaches over to squeeze her niece's hand. "I am happy for you Kaya, do not doubt it. In these dark times, one must take happiness where one can find it." She becomes somber and sighs, "Ryon should have taken better care of you and Sophia."

"Father did what he could…"

"NO!" The conversation stops around the table and Arielle sighs as she motions the others to carry on their conversations before she turns back to her niece, "Harold warned him to get all of you to safety before that last battle. My brother was a stubborn mule who thought Voltron could never be defeated."

"Well, he was wrong," whispers Kaya as she looks back down at her plate, tears in her eyes.

Her aunt's arms are around her a moment later even as she hears Hunk ask, "Kaya? What's wrong?"

She hears a chair sliding back and suddenly Hunk is beside her, pulling her away from her aunt as he again demands, "What's wrong?"

As her cheek comes to rest against his chest, Kaya hears her aunt quietly explain, "I am sorry, Tsuyoshi, I upset her with sad memories."

"Mother, what is wrong?"

The prince's timid voice echoes in the room and Arielle turns her attention to him, "Everything is all right Harold, I simply upset your cousin with memories of her father."

Kaya pulls away from Hunk and places a hand on his chest, "I am fine."

He smiles down at her as he wipes at the tears still running down her cheeks. Leaning forward, he kisses her forehead then rises and returns to his seat across the table. Kaya uses her napkin to wipe her eyes then feels a hand on hers again. She looks up to find her aunt smiling softly at her, "He already loves you."

Returning the smile with a tremulous one of her own, Kaya nods, "I know, though we have not really discussed it."

"Do not wait too long dearest," the queen tells her, "Enjoy your happiness."

She nods to her aunt then looks back across the table at Hunk. A smile slips across his face as he answers another one of Harold's questions. He must sense her gaze because suddenly he looks her way and winks at her before turning his attention back to the prince.

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Across the table, Devika ignores the conversations going on around her as she continues to engage Pidge in a discussion of the hydraulics system Wind Kingdom uses on an underground river to keep power running within the compound. It is not working the way the engineers thought it should, causing occasional power outages. She stomps her foot lightly, "See, you agree with me then! They will not listen to me because they think I am only a girl…"

"That shouldn't have anything to do with it," Pidge replies, "It's about the movement of the water though the system. If it is interrupted, that would interrupt the power flow through the filters."

"See! Idiots!" the princess snorts and Pidge laughs at her.

She smiles at him, enjoying the sound of his laughter. Her eyes narrow on him suddenly as a thought occurs to her and she asks, "Did your parents name you Pidge?"

Taken aback by the topic change, Pidge shakes his head, "No, it was a nickname given to me." His expression becomes thoughtful as he tells her, "I was only twelve when I joined Galaxy Garrison's Space Academy and looked like a twig, skinny, all knees. Well, the older cadets didn't like me much, so started calling me Pigwidgeon." At the confused look on Devika's face, he explains, "It means a small or insignificant person. Anyway, Keith, my commander, who had already graduated at the time and became a lieutenant, had heard them calling me that name one day as he was looking for recruits." A bright smile crosses his face at the memory, "He walked up to me and said, 'Hey, Pidge…why don't you join my team. I could use someone of your intelligence.' I didn't even graduate from the Academy…just went straight into a crew." Pidge sighs at the memory, "The name stuck…I've been Pidge to the guys ever since."

Devika nods to him then asks, "So what is your real name then?"

He blushes slightly then informs her, "Darrell Eugene Stoker."

She smiles brightly at him as she says, "I like Darrell much better than Pidge."

Feeling his cheeks heating even more, Pidge nods to her then turns his attention back to his plate. He looks back almost immediately when her hand rests on top of his under the table. She smiles brightly at him, "I am finding that I like Darrell a lot."

Feeling his heartbeat picking up, Pidge tries to ignore the desire to turn his hand over to intertwine their fingers. Reminding himself mentally that she is only fourteen, he pulls his hand away from her but softens the blow with a smile, "I like you as well. I think we will be great friends."

He watches the smile on Devika's face wither slightly then she pulls back from him as the servants replace the dinner dishes with dessert. The princess picks up her fork and takes a bite of her tart then smiles back at him, an impish look in her eyes once more as she whispers, "Race to see who finishes first?"

Struggling not to laugh at her, Pidge nods then starts to quickly eat his own dessert.

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Walking into the royal dining chamber within Castle Doom, Lotor finds his father already seated at the table, drinking a goblet of wine. As the prince takes his seat, Zarkon sets down the goblet as he states, "Well, the prodigal son has finally returned."

The king's eyes glint with maliciousness as he adds, "I heard you had a little problem with those Garrison pilots making off with something of yours…that whore of a princess you were fucking."

Lotor does not respond as he picks up his cloth napkin, unfolds it then places it across his lap. His eyes move across the table to his parent to stare at him silently for a moment then he turns his attention to the slave standing near the wall holding a decanter. He gestures to her and the girl comes forward to fill his goblet. As she pours from a decanter of blood red wine, his eyes move to her barely concealed breasts. Her rouged nipples edge the top of her costume and Lotor licks his lips as he thinks of biting into them. His father's next question draws his attention away from them, "Tell me Lotor, can you get the brain in your head instead of the one in your pants working long enough to tell me what this plan that you and Haggar have hatched is?"

As the slave moves away from him, the prince takes a sip of his wine as he retorts, "It is not my plan Father. I am merely here at your request to help Haggar."

Zarkon snorts in derision as he declares, "Do not think because I am old that I am stupid. Whatever Haggar has planned for Arus, you are part of it."

Shrugging nonchalantly, Lotor continues to sip from his goblet. Zarkon stops as the door to the room opens and several slave girls walk in with platters of food. Each girl pauses near the table to place her platter on the table then turns around to walk back into the kitchen. The king waits until the last of the platters are placed on the table and the slaves leave before he starts again, "So what is this plan?"

"Surely Haggar has already told you?" derides Lotor as he glares at his father. Snorting with derision, he looks away from him then gestures to the slave near the wall once more. She moves forward and the prince indicates the platter nearest him. She picks up a spoon and places some of the dish on the prince's plate.

"Would I be asking you if she had?" Zarkon says, his tone rife with sarcasm as he continues their discussion.

"Yes, you would," replies Lotor as he sets down his goblet and picks up a utensil to begin eating his dinner. Taking a bite of his meal, he chews it slowly as he contemplates the man across from him. Once he swallows, he adds, "You always try to find out if Haggar has left something out."

"Which tells me she has," the king booms out, his body taut now with rage. "What has the witch planned? I demand you tell me!"

Calmly picking up his goblet to once again take a sip, Lotor responds, "I did not say that Father. I only stated you ask different people the same question in an attempt to detect duplicity." His eyes flash as he adds, "There is none. As I am sure she already told you, King Cova and his son will be here tomorrow to aid us in the witch's plan. That is the extent of my knowledge."

Zarkon sits back in his seat, a sort of calmness coming over him as he contemplates his son. His tone is carefully neutral as he asserts, "The day I believe you do not have detailed knowledge of a plan that could get you killed is the day I will step down from my throne."

"Father, I assure you…"

Waving his hand to quiet Lotor, the king rises from his chair, "As I told you before, I am not a fool. Fine, if you want Haggar to take all the glory when Arus falls, so be it." His gaze turns scornful, "I find I no longer have an appetite."

As he walks to the door and leaves the room, Lotor watches him closely. Once the door closes behind him, the prince states, "Soon Father, you will find out just how foolish you are."

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Heading for the door of the dining room, Allura waves at the others as they wish her good night then starts down the hallway. Thinking about the reports waiting for her on her desk, she walks toward her office but her feet seem to change direction and she finds herself at the doors to the control room. Walking inside before she thinks better of it, the princess moves over to the control center and asks the man in the chair, "Status?"

Keith turns to face her and smiles as he answers, "Everything is quiet…for now."

Feeling butterflies in her stomach as her body responds to that smile, Allura nods then asks, "When are you off duty?"

The look in the commander's eyes changes to a speculative one as he replies, "In an hour."

She nods to him then looks back at the monitors, "So no Doom forces?"

"Oh, they are out there, but stationary for now," he says as he turns in the chair and starts hitting the switches. The screen changes to show a map, "They are up in the northern quadrant, about thirty miles away from Water Kingdom. Another group is in the south, ten miles away from Fire Kingdom."

Her eyes studying the screen, Allura inquires, "What are we doing?"

"Watching them, for now."

Confused sapphire eyes shift to meet the dark brown ones in front of her as she asks, "Why?"

Keith smiles at her softly, "We have Pidge and Hunk over in Wind Kingdom and no way to form Voltron yet. I don't want to pick any unnecessary fights."

As the princess shakes her head at him and starts to open her mouth to argue, Keith stands up in front of her and takes her by the shoulders, "Patience Princess. When we have Voltron, no Drules will be allowed to step foot on Arus. I promise you that."

She nods to him then stops as she gets caught in his gaze. It seems like the room falls away from her for a moment and Allura starts to take a step closer to him when suddenly a voice makes her jump, "Commander, Vasin of Fire Kingdom wishes to speak to you. He has concerns about the Drules being so close…"

Keith waves a hand to stop him then looks back at Allura, "I need to answer that. We can speak further in the morning?"

"Yes, of course you need to speak to them." She turns away from him, "I need to go do some work anyway."

His eyebrow arches as the commander listens to the princess mumble something else that he does not quite hear as she starts down the ramp and heads for the door. She stops near the door and looks back at him once more before saying, "Good night," then disappears down the hallway. A smile twitches at his lips as Keith turns back to the soldier and follows him over to the communication equipment.

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Queen Arielle smiles as she looks down on her sleeping son then turns around for the door. She walks out then moves to the door across the hall and knocks. Entering the room when asked, the queen smiles at her daughter. Devika sits in front of her vanity, watching her mother in the mirror and smiles at her in return as she crosses the room. Arielle steps up behind her and takes the pro-offered brush. As she runs it through the long, black hair, the queen states, "You seemed to be enjoying Pidge's company during dinner. I do not think you said two words to me all night."

Devika smiles as she replies, "I do like him. He does not treat me like a child or a silly, ignorant girl."

Pausing to meet her daughter's eyes in the mirror, Arielle says, "I know you think you are no longer a child, but you are only fourteen…"

"Mother, it is not like that." The princess sighs as she looks down, disappointment lacing her tone, "He told me at dinner, he only likes me as a friend."

Nodding sympathetically even though she feels relieved, Arielle goes back to brushing Devika's hair as she logically states, "Perhaps he simply thinks you too young as well."

She tries not to laugh as her daughter snorts in derision. Leaning down, the queen wraps her arms around Devika as she whispers, "At times like these, you remind me of your father. You are so much like him. He would have been disgusted to be judged by his age as well."

Intelligent green eyes meet her mother's hazel ones in the mirror as Devika inquires, "Darrell is only three years older than I am. It is not so different, why would my age bother him?"

"Darrell?" asks the queen, a confused look on her face.

The princess smiles, "Pidge is a nickname his friends gave him." She tells her mother the story Pidge told her at dinner and laughs, "I could not imagine being stuck with a nickname like Pidge."

"Better than being called Pigwidgeon I would hazard," the queen replies as she shakes her head.

Devika nods then goes back to her question, "Why would my age be an issue?"

Sighing, Arielle begins brushing her daughter's hair again as she answers, "In some cultures, age matters. As a soldier, there are rules that…Darrell…must follow. Perhaps this is simply one of them."

"So you think he may like me as much as I like him, but he must follow these rules and therefore told me we could only be friends?"

Groaning inwardly, the queen retorts, "You are too much like your father. You inherited your way of thinking from him." As her daughter looks ready to argue, Arielle states, "I do not know the answer to your question." She sits down on the settee beside Devika and grabs her cheeks, "Do not be in such a rush to grow up. You will have plenty of time to worry about finding a mate and being an adult later."

"If Father was still alive, I would have a mate already. He would have chosen one for me."

Unable to deny to truth of that statement, Arielle tells her, "Yes, but you would not be married to him until you turned sixteen or perhaps eighteen." She hugs her daughter close to her, "I would rather you not grow up quite so soon. I am not ready to let you go yet."

Devika wraps her arms around her mother and returns the hug. Sighing deeply, she whispers, "I will always be your daughter."

Unable to help the tears that fall from her eyes, Arielle replies, "I know this. However, things change when one marries." She pulls back to look Devika in the face, "You will have a new family, a new home. I will not see you as much as I like."

Nodding in acceptance of the facts, the princess leans into her parent, "I love you Mother."

Wrapping her arms around her daughter once more, Arielle holds her tight as she continues to cry.


	31. Chapter 31

Happy Thanksgiving to those in the USA!

I make no claims to Voltron or any WEP characters.

Origins: A Legend Unfolds: Chapter 31

Her breath leaves her body the next morning as she once again lands on her back and is pinned down to the gym mat. A moment later, Allura hears Keith's sigh, "No Princess, you have to move like I told you. If I manage to get you pinned down, you're done."

Gasping in a deep breath as he releases her then holds out a hand to help her up, Allura retorts, "I am trying."

She feels a light flutter in her stomach as he smiles at her while replying, "I know you are." Rising with Keith's help, the princess meets Romelle's gaze, to find the other woman smiling sympathetically at her. They had been taking turns being pinned down to the floor mat by the commander as he instructed them on ways to get out of the moves.

Keith glances up at the clock then looks back at her and Romelle, "We should probably call it quits for today. We need to get cleaned up soon. I'm not sure what time the others will be coming back from Wind Kingdom."

Allura nods in agreement then watches the commander as he moves over to pick up a towel and wipes his sweaty face. Her eyes move over his well-muscled form and she feels the flutter once again in her lower regions. Looking back up, she feels her cheeks warm slightly to find him suddenly watching her closely. Quickly turning away, Allura moves over to pick up her own towel and wipes at her own sweaty face. Her eyes move over to the other men still working out on the machines and she jumps when she hears Keith's voice right behind her, "Here, make sure to drink plenty of water."

Turning to find him beside her, she looks down at the bottle of water he is holding out to her. Taking it, Allura smiles her thanks then watches him as he walks away from her to tell the others, "That's it men, go get cleaned up."

Ignoring their replies, Allura asks her cousin, "Ready to go?"

Romelle shakes her head, "I am going to wait for Sven."

Nodding to her, Allura walks out of the gym then quickly makes her way to her room. As she steps into her shower a few minutes later, her mind is on the commander and her growing attraction to him.

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The doors to Haggar's laboratory open to reveal King Cova and Prince Avok being led in by a Doom robot soldier. Lotor stands beside the witch to greet them, "I am glad to see you made it."

Cova nods to him, "As you requested, we are here. What is the plan for Arus?"

"Right to business. That is what I like about you Cova, you do not waste time." Lotor nods to the witch and she moves across her laboratory away from them. Directing the other two to follow her, he answers, "We have devised a plan that will strike at the remaining royalty on Arus and destroy the lions of Voltron in one blow."

Pausing mid-step, the king of Pollux asks, "Would it not be better to simply take the lions and use them for Doom?"

"It cannot be done."

The three men turn to face the old witch as she runs her hands over a control panel and continues, "The lions are a part of Arus and are a mixture of science and magic. They need to return there in order for their power cells to recharge." She pauses in her actions to look back at them, "The lions are also controlled by the spirits of Arus' past kings. They will not allow us to use them."

"How do you know so much about them?" asks Prince Avok as he narrows his eyes suspiciously at her.

She cackles at him, "That is the beauty of being someone of my age. I have learned many things over the millennia."

"Millennia?" snorts the king with derision.

"Do not doubt her Cova," states Prince Lotor, "There are times I think this old hag will never die."

The king and his son share a skeptic look then turn back to the witch as Cova demands, "What is the plan?"

Haggar turns her head slightly as she contemplates the men in front of her. Her eyes flash with yellow malevolence as she simply states, "Prince Avok is going to bring down the lions."

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A smile crosses her face as Kaya walks down the hallway toward the dining room with Hunk. She feels her fingers brushing his as the walk together and glances over at him. He smiles back down at her then intertwines their fingers. Kaya squeezes his hand then releases it as they approach the dining room doors. Walking into the room, they greet Pidge, who sits next to Devika.

The two at the table stop talking and look at the new arrivals. Pidge sighs, "Morning, our departure is going to be delayed."

"Why?" asks Hunk as he holds out a chair for Kaya to sit upon.

"My mother is with Harold. He is not feeling well this morning," the princess answers. "She will not leave him when he is ill and I cannot leave without her."

Hunk sighs as he sits down and meets Pidge's wry expression. They share the same thought, _'Keith isn't going to like this.'_

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"You have got to be kidding me!" exclaims the commander as he reads the missive sent from Wind Kingdom only a few minutes before. Lance shrugs as he replies, "What are you going to do? You can't expect her to leave a sick child."

Keith sighs as he sets the paper down, "It isn't like we have a lot of time. Doom could attack again at any time and we don't have Voltron." He sits down tiredly in the conference room chair, "All we have are the lions and they won't be enough."

"Yeah, I know. But look at it this way, it would be worse yet if we didn't have the lions at least."

Looking up to find Lance winking at him with humor, the commander snorts, "Great…just what I need, you being a smart ass."

Lance smiles broadly as he retorts, "That's what I do best!"

"Yeah…I know," Keith dryly states as he sits back up. Sighing, he instructs, "All right, I started a supply list to request from Garrison. Let's go over it quick to see if I've missed anything then get to the dining room for breakfast before we're late."

Nodding, Lance takes a seat beside him and looks at the papers in front of him.

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Finished with her breakfast, Devika sets down her utensil then looks at the others. Hunk and Kaya are speaking softly as they eat, ignoring everyone around them. Her gaze moves to the man next her and she smiles at him as he wipes his mouth with a napkin then sets it down on top of his plate. He returns the smile then asks, "So what can we do this morning?"

"I would not recommend the gym just yet. It is a sure way to get cramps," the princess replies, still smiling.

Pidge laughs at her, "I agree with that one. How about a walk instead?"

"I would like that very much," she says, her eyes warm as she stares at him.

Feeling himself beginning to blush, Pidge looks away and stands. He pulls out Devika's chair to help her rise then leads her out of the dining room. They walk down the hall together then Devika takes his hand as she leads him toward the cavern the Green lion used to reside in. She nods to the guard standing near the entrance to the cavern then leads Pidge past him. They walk across the cavern then she leads him down a tunnel he has not been in yet.

"Where are we going?" asks Pidge.

The princess simply smiles at him, squeezes his hand and continues to lead him down the tunnel. Reaching an opening, she leads him inside to reveal a large steaming pool of water. Pidge pulls away as he steps into the room, "Storm Kingdom has heated pools like this."

"Mother, Harold and I come down here quite often to bathe, it is very relaxing," she replies to him.

Pidge looks at her confused, "You bathe…together?"

"Yes, do you not bathe with your family?" asks an equally confused Devika.

"Well, we go swimming together, but not bathe," he answers.

Devika shrugs then gestures to the pools, "Do you wish to bathe? The water is quite soothing."

Feeling his cheeks reddening at the thought of being naked in the water with her, Pidge shakes his head, "No, I already took a shower this morning. I'm good."

"Darrell, do you like me?" Devika suddenly asks, her green eyes inquisitive as they search his face.

Taken aback at the subject change and her use of his real name, Pidge stutters, "I told you last night that I liked you and we would be good friends."

"No, not as friends." The princess steps closer to him and reaches up to touch his cheek, "Would you ever consider me more than a friend?"

His heartbeat accelerates as he stares down at the pretty, young woman in front of him. Swallowing hard against the urge to wrap his arms around her, Pidge informs her, "I can't consider you as anything other than a friend, Devika."

"But why?" she asks, confusion and hurt in her eyes.

"I know you don't think of yourself as a child, but Galaxy Garrison wouldn't share that view." Pidge shakes his head regretfully, "I would be brought up on charges and could be thrown in military prison if I did anything with you."

"But do you like me?" asks Devika again, her eyes determined.

"I told you I do," he sighs as he runs his hand through his hair, "But it can't be anything more than friendship."

Devika smiles brightly at him, "I will not be fourteen forever." She leans up toward him and kisses his cheek then states, "We shall have this talk again one day, Darrell Stoker."

Exasperated with her, Pidge nods then changes the subject, "We should probably get back to the compound."

A knowing smile still on her face, Devika takes his hand within hers and squeezes it tightly as she leads him out of the cavern again.

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In the dining room, Allura sighs in disappointment as Keith quietly finishes conveying the news to her while they wait for breakfast to be served. She glances over at her advisor as she says, "So much for our plans today."

"Do not worry Princess. I am sure our visitors will be here as soon as circumstances will permit it," smiles Coran as he glances at the servants milling about them with breakfast trays.

Nodding in understanding, Allura looks back at Keith, "So what are you and the others going to do today then?"

"I have several reports I'm behind on for Garrison and we need to do more training in the lions," sighs the commander, "There is no shortage of work I'm afraid."

"Speaking of which, there are several reports on your desk that await your attention Princess," interjects Coran with a smile. "If you would take some time to go through them and sign them off, I would appreciate it."

Allura groans then looks back at the commander, who winks at her with a smile on his face then turns to Lance as the other man asks him a question. She looks around the rest of the room and watches as Romelle speaks quietly to Sven. The two boys break the quietness of the room as they suddenly start laughing at something one of them said. Allura smiles to herself as she reflects on the roomful of people then glances at her advisor as he quietly states, "It is nice to have family about, is it not?"

"Yes, we were alone for far too long," she answers then her gaze meets Keith's again. Clearing her throat, the princess asks, "I believe Maia is coming over after lunch. Can we spend more time in the lions?"

"Of course, Lance and I will take you two out for an hour or two. Maybe this time we can get you up into the air," he replies.

She nods then looks over at Romelle and gains her attention by asking, "Perhaps after lion training, you and Bandor would like to spend time training with Maia, Audric and I?"

"On?"

"Magic!" exclaims Audric excitedly then turns to Bandor, "The lessons are awesome!"

Romelle looks taken aback, glances at her brother then answers, "I am not sure we are capable…"

"You two are half Arusian, Princess Romelle. All things are possible," states Coran with a smile. "Perhaps join them for the lesson and see what you are capable of?"

Hesitantly, she nods but her tone is firm as she responds, "It is worth a try."

Allura smiles at her then returns her attention back to her breakfast.

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Later that afternoon, Hunk yawns and stretches then goes back to reading the book he had borrowed earlier from the Wind Kingdom library. The sound of his door opening draws his attention and he looks over to smile in greeting at Kaya as she walks into the room. She returns the smile then moves behind him to wrap her arms around him as she rests her head on his shoulder. Hunk reaches up and holds her crossed arms against his chest as he asks, "How are you doing?"

"I am fine if a bit bored," replies the princess then she shocks Hunk by placing a kiss on his neck. She sighs deeply while rubbing her head against his shoulder then inquires, "I wonder what Audric is doing?"

"Having fun with Bandor is what I heard when I checked in earlier." The big man laughs, "They've become good friends already and drive Sven to distraction with their mischief."

Kaya smiles at the thought then replies, "I am glad Audric has made a friend. He does not have many I am afraid."

Growing somber at the reminder that the young prince is slighted among his own people, Hunk stiffens then grumps, "There are times I think this planet is full of fools."

"Perhaps," the princess responds, "But I think discrimination exists on every world."

Before he can agree, Hunk turns his head toward the door when there is a short knock then it opens and Pidge walks in with Princess Devika. The younger man smiles at the sight before him as Kaya quickly stands upright, her cheeks red with embarrassment as she moves away from Hunk.

"Pidge, what's going on?" demands Hunk as he stands and draws the attention away from Kaya.

Before he can get a word in, Pidge turns his attention to Devika as she answers, "I just spoke with my mother. My brother's temperature finally went down and he is feeling better, so she said we could leave as soon as she finishes debriefing Barden on Harold's care."

Hunk shares an excited look with Pidge then looks over at Kaya to say, "Let's get our stuff out to the lions so we can get out of here!"

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Rushing into the lion cavern, the advisor watches as the Green and Yellow lions settle into place lying on their bellies then the side doors open to reveal the pilots leading out their guests. Kaya holds onto Hunk's arm as he leads her out of Yellow lion. His eyes move over to the Green lion to find Pidge holding out his hand to help the Queen of Wind Kingdom out of the lion. She turns to watch as the pilot next helps a younger woman out as well. Hunk and Kaya join the group then they start toward the opening of the cavern.

"Queen Arielle! I could not believe it when I heard you had survived the invasions. It is so nice to see you again," exclaims Coran as the advisor races up to greet the new visitors. He bows formally to her then adds, "However, we were not alerted to expect your arrival." He throws a disgruntled look toward the two pilots leading the visitors in.

Hunk smiles at him unapologetically as he says, "When the opportunity came to leave, we took advantage of it."

"Yes, I can see that," the older man retorts then looks back at the visitors, "Princesses Allura and Maia would have been here to greet you had they known you were about to arrive."

"Where are they?" asks Kaya as she releases Hunk's elbow to step forward.

"Last I knew they were training in the gym with Princess Romelle and the boys." He turns his attention back to the new arrivals, "I will show you to your rooms to freshen up if you like and I am sure the princesses will be ready to greet you properly after."

Arielle starts to nod until Kaya says, "I am going to the gym to let Audric know I am back."

"Then I will join you," states the queen. She smiles at her niece, "I would like to meet your son."

"But surely you would like to freshen up?" interrupts Coran.

The queen turns back to the advisor and smiles at him, "The trip was very short in the lions, Master Montrane. I wish to meet my great nephew instead, if you do not mind."

"Very well," replies Coran as the group walks past him, led by Kaya to the stairs leading up into the Storm Kingdom compound.

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"Very good Audric!" exclaims Maia as the boy causes the earth to swirl about him. Her eyes move over to the other prince as Bandor looks on in awe then tries to go back to forming a water bubble. The Polluxian prince makes a noise of frustration and drops down onto the gym mat as he exclaims, "This is impossible!"

"No, it is not Bandor. Look, I am doing it," states Romelle as she shows him the small water bubble between her hands.

Maia smiles at her then turns her attention back to the prince, "You are only half-Arusian, Bandor, but you are still a child of magic. All you have to do is believe that you can do it."

"Maybe water is not your natural element Bandor," says Allura as she sits down next to him on the gym mat and puts her hands together to show him the lightning moving between them. "I started with water and was not able to get it to work properly. Lightning comes very easily though." She smiles at him as the lightning disappears, "Perhaps you need to try something else."

"That could very well be," agrees Maia as she turns back to Bandor. "Maybe fire or wind is your natural element instead."

As the young prince sighs deeply, Maia sits down beside him. "Close your eyes Bandor."

Once he had done as she asked, the princess continues, "Your natural element is a part of you. When you relax and let your mind go it may come to you."

His eyes open almost at once as he asks, "May?" in a disgruntled tone.

Laughter erupts out of Maia. She wipes at the tears forming in her eyes as she replies, "Magic cannot be forced, young prince. It may show itself when least expected but it is either a part of you or it is not." Calming down, she shrugs as she informs him, "Not all Arusians can do magic. It is something that has been passed down through the royal families for a millennia. However, most of the common people have no magic ability."

"But my father can do magic," retorts the prince. "I have seen him do it. So why can I not?"

"Because you are trying to force it out of you," answers Maia in a soft tone. She sighs as she instructs, "You must calm yourself and let it come to you."

Audric sits down on the gym mat beside him, "You can do it Bandor."

"Form a circle around him," advises Maia. She watches as Romelle sits down in behind him with Allura to one side and Audric on the other. Moving so that she sits in front of him, she holds out her hands and they ignite with fire. The others copy the movement within their limited abilities. Sand moves around Audric once more as lightning moves between Allura's hands.

Bandor glances behind him to see a water bubble floating between his sister's hands. Sighing, he closes his eyes and empties his mind. He feels an energy welling up within him, holds his hands out, and feels something happening between them. Opening his eyes, he stares in surprise at the small fireball burning brightly.

He looks up excitedly to find Maia smiling at him, "Very good."

"What is going on here?"

The group rises quickly and Maia turns to find a middle aged, well-dressed woman standing next to Kaya, her eyes wide with shock as she looks at each of the princes and princesses in front of her in turn. She glances at Kaya as the princess starts to say, "Aunt Arielle, please…"

Pulling away from her, the queen moves forward to exclaim, "Women are forbidden to do magic. Surely you were taught this?"

Maia glances at Allura to find her cheeks reddening and looks back to respond, "Before the kings all died, yes…"

"No, that law has not changed!" interjects Arielle even as Kaya reaches her and places a hand on her arm while saying, "Aunt Arielle, please stop and listen."

Allura looks from an obviously angry Arielle, to an increasingly angry Maia. Her irritated gaze moves to her advisor to find him shrugging in apology then Allura sighs quietly as she steps forward, "You must be Queen Arielle of Wind Kingdom. I am Princess Allura. I am sorry not to have been present to greet you properly when you arrived."

She gestures to the others standing beside her, "This is Princess Romelle and her brother, Prince Bandor from Planet Pollux. They are also the grandchildren of King Byron of Water Kingdom." Putting a hand on Maia's forearm, Allura states, "This is Princess Maia of Fire Kingdom." She stops as Kaya moves forward and takes her son's hand and pulls him forward to announce, "Aunt Arielle, this is my son, Prince Audric."

Stopping long enough to study her great nephew closely, Arielle smiles at him in greeting then turns back to the others, "I am glad to finally meet you all, but that does not change the fact that you were breaking Arusian law…"

"Those laws have no bearing on the here and now." Maia crosses her arms, "Besides, my own father taught me magic. He was not bothered with an ancient law that is so old that no one remembers why it was created in the first place."

"It was created for a reason," exclaims Arielle as she looks from one young woman to another until she stops on Maia once more, "and your father should have known better."

"My father was preparing me to take care of myself," answers Maia as she takes a step closer to her, "I am in charge of keeping the remaining members of my kingdom safe. Allura has a similar responsibility. If using magic can help keep them protected then I will utilize it in whatever capacity is needed."

Coran clears his throat as he steps forward, "Queen Arielle, I know that you grew up with certain rules for women. But Princess Maia is right, times have changed and in order to survive, we need to use whatever tools we have available to us."

She turns to face him, surprised, "You condone this?"

"Yes. In fact, I am the one that asked Princess Maia to train Allura," he explains calmly, a determined look in his eyes. His expression turns to a sad one, "There are no kings left," then he gestures to the boys in front of him, "and very few princes. The time for royal women to sit in the background and let the men take care of everything is over."

Kaya steps forward, "Allura is not the only one being trained Arielle. I have been taking lessons as well." She holds up her hand and the sand Audric was using earlier moves up into the air and stays there. It drops a moment later as she lowers her hand and Kaya looks back at her aunt, "Father died and left me at the mercy of the Drules. I will not be left defenseless against anyone ever again."

"I thought it rather a silly law anyway."

Everyone turns to the young woman who had been silent up until that moment. Devika steps away from Pidge and looks her mother directly in the eye as she continues, "It is like they thought just because I am a girl, that I am not smart enough to use magic. It is not logical." She smiles brightly as she brings a hand up in the air and a light wind starts moving through the air.

"Devika…" whispers the shocked queen as she stares incredulously at her daughter, "How?"

The youngest princess drops her hand and the wind dies away as she explains, "I have been watching Harold with Master Terrell. I am not stupid just because I am a girl." Her face shines with irritation as she states, "Master Terrell is the stupid one. He keeps trying to make Harold master wind when he is able to move sand much easier."

"That is foolish," agrees Maia, "you always help a person master their natural element before trying to master one of the others."

Arielle throws up her hands in defeat then says, "Very well, just do not expect me to support it. I still think the law was created for a reason."

A smile creeps across Maia's face as she replies, "I can accept that, as long as you do not try to stop the rest of us."

"I will not," sighs Arielle then glances at her daughter. Devika smiles brightly at her as she asks, "Does that mean you will not stop me from learning more?"

"Gods above, help me!" exclaims the queen in exasperation as she looks away to find her niece trying to hide a smile.

Trying not to show his own humor, Coran clears his throat and steps forward, "Perhaps we should retire to the conference room where you all may get to know each other a little better?"

"We need to go report in," interrupts Pidge as he nudges Hunk, who suddenly looks red-faced as he remembers his duties and states, "Yeah, I'm sure Keith is wondering where we are."

As the men leave the room, Audric asks, "Who is Harold?"

Kaya glances up to see the worried look briefly appear in her aunt's eyes as she glances around at the other members of their group before the princess leans down to answer him, "A boy who lives in Wind Kingdom. You will get to meet him one day."

"Is he my age?" asks Audric excitedly.

"Yes, he is," replies Kaya with a smile.

He turns his attention to his new aunt to inquire, "Is he your son? Why did he not come with?"

"We can discuss this more later," interrupts Kaya as she takes his hand, "Let us go down to the conference room where we can spend some time getting to know each other."

Allura quickly steps forward, "If you will follow me, I shall lead the way. It is about time for dinner, I will have it brought to us as well."

A smile crosses Maia's face as her cousin steps into action to lead the group out of the room. Sharing a look with the advisor, she takes his arm as he holds it out to her then follows the others out of the gym.


	32. Chapter 32

I make no claims to Voltron or any WEP characters.

Origins: A Legend Unfolds: Chapter 32

Walking into the control room, Hunk and Pidge pause when they find Lance at the controls. He smiles at them as he says, "Welcome back."

"Where's Cap?" asks Hunk as he moves forward.

"Where else? Working in his room," answers Lance, "He has all those reports to turn into Garrison now. How was your visit to Wind Kingdom?"

"Successful, we have all the heirs now," replies Pidge with a broad smile on his face.

"Gentlemen."

They turn to find Coran walking in behind them. He smiles, "Our guests have adjourned to the conference room." His eyes move over Pidge and Hunk, "I was wondering if I could ask a favor?"

At their nod, he continues, "I have men working on the launch system for Red lion, but could use your expertise to help them move the project along faster."

"Yeah, the sooner it's ready, the better," agrees Hunk. He looks over at Pidge, who nods, then looks back at the older man, "Sure, we can go help. Would like some dinner first though."

"I have already arranged that," explains Coran as he gestures to the door, "if you will retire to the dining room, the ladies are ready to serve you."

The two men nod to him then walk out of the room. The advisor turns to Lance as he states, "I need to check on our guests then will return to relieve you of duty."

"Thanks Coran," smiles Lance as he turns his attention back to the control system in front of him.

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A smile crosses her face as Allura listens to the women discussing aspects of their kingdoms while comparing the differences and similarities. The boys would stop eating their dinner long enough to throw in occasional questions, mostly directed at finding boys their own age to play with. The conversation ceases for a moment as the door opens and the servants come in to take away the dinner plates only to replace them with dessert.

Setting down her fork several minutes later, Maia sits back in her chair and places a hand over her stomach while saying, "That was delicious, but now I wish I could sink into a hot bath."

Before Allura can answer, Devika looks at her to inquire, "Darrell mentioned that there are hot pools here, can we use them?"

Remembering Pidge's real name from his Garrison file, Allura nods, "Yes, we can."

As the other princesses begin to murmur in agreement, Arielle states, "I think I shall pass." Her eyes light on the two boys in front of her, "I would like to spend time with my great nephew and his cousin, this way you girls may enjoy some time alone getting to know each other."

Smiling enthusiastically about the idea, Allura rises, "Let's retire to our rooms long enough to change into robes then I shall lead the way to the pools. Maia, I have a spare one in my room you may borrow."

As the other princesses start to rise, Romelle steps closer to her cousin to ask, "What do you mean robes?"

"Go undress and meet me in the hallway in your bathrobe. You have one in your room, do you not?" responds Allura as she arches her eyebrow in question.

Still confused, Romelle nods in reply then watches as Allura smiles at her then starts to lead the way out of the conference room. Mentally shrugging to herself, the princess says good night to her brother, the queen and Audric then follows the others out of the room.

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Ready to go a few minutes later, Allura gestures to the ladies to follow her then leads them down the hallway. Smiling back at the group of women as they continue to chatter, she directs them down the stairs toward the lion cavern then changes directions. She walks down the tunnel that leads to the hot pools then gestures to the other women to walk in. Maia looks about appreciatively, "Very nice, we have a hot, spring-fed pool as well, but it is small in comparison."

Romelle watches as the other princesses approach the pools, Kaya dipping her toes into the water while exclaiming, "We have nothing this nice in Earth Kingdom." She slips her robe off then slides down into the hot water. She watches as the youngest princess, Devika joins her, both women smiling and talking animatedly about the temperature of the water.

Glancing back at her, Maia gestures to the water, "Coming?"

Tearing her eyes away from the nude women already in the water, Romelle quietly replies, "In a moment…"

Maia nods to her in understanding then walks away. She disrobes and slips into the water with the other women, diving under the water only to surface a moment later with a happy exclamation.

Moving a little closer, the Polluxian princess watches the others for a moment then turns to Allura as her cousin comes near her to say, "It is all right Romelle. No one here will judge."

Nodding, Romelle whispers, "It is not that…"

"What then?" asks Allura as she turns her gaze onto her fully.

"I have not bathed…nude…with others in the same pool before…" she replies as her blue eyes scan the pools once more. Romelle looks back at her cousin, "It is not done on Pollux."

"Another prudish planet…" exclaims Allura in exasperation.

Romelle gives her a questioning look but Allura only shakes her head and gestures with her hand, "You can use a different pool if you wish. There are three of them in here."

The Polluxian princess glances at the other pools then back to the one containing the other princesses as they laugh and start splashing each other in play. Coming to a decision, she shakes her head, "No, I do not wish to be alone." She slowly lowers her robe, blushing as she does so.

Ignoring her cousin's embarrassment, Allura slips out of her robe and makes her way over to the pool. She slips into the water then calls back as Romelle slowly approaches her with her arms crossed over her chest, "Come, the water is quite refreshing…"

Sitting down on the edge of the pool, Romelle drops her legs into the water then slowly slides down into the inviting warmth. She releases a groan of pleasure as she bends back to wet her hair then stands up once more. Opening her eyes, she finds the other princesses talking in a group off to one side of the water as Allura gestures to her to join them. With a smile growing on her face, Romelle moves over to them.

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Sitting in his room, Keith stops writing on his data-pad and reaches back to rub the sore muscles of his neck as he reads what he had just written. A knock at the door draws his attention away from his work as he calls out, "Yes?"

The door opens to reveal Lance and Sven. They walk into the room together and Sven moves over to sit on the bed as Lance states, "We stopped by the conference room, Queen Arielle is spending time with Audric and Bandor while Princess Devika is getting to know the other women." He glances back at Sven to find the Norwegian shifting uncomfortably then looks back at Keith to add, "Hunk and Pidge are helping Coran's men with the launch system for Red lion."

Keith nods in response then asks, "Why don't we gather the women together and take them into the lion cavern? The sooner we awaken Voltron's spirit, the better."

The answer comes from the man sitting on the bed, "Coran suggested that we should wait until tomorrow. Give the princesses the evening to get to know each other first."

"This isn't a tea party…" retorts Keith as he stands up from his chair. "We need to revive Voltron before Doom attacks again."

"I know," Sven sighs then states, "But these women have never been in the same room together. They need some time…"

"They can get to know each other after Voltron is revived," argues Keith then glances over at Lance, "What is going on?"

The lieutenant sighs, "Coran thought it was a good idea to give them the evening to get to know each other." At the argumentative look on his commander's face, Lance adds, "Even if they revived Voltron's spirit tonight, it isn't like we would take the lions out in the dark to try to form Voltron for the first time."

Keith finally sighs in defeat, "True…I would want light for that."

"So let the girls have tonight to get to know each other. A princess slumber party," says Lance in a joking tone as he moves to sit beside Sven on the bed.

Sitting back down on his chair, Keith rubs at the sore muscles of his neck again and tries to stretch. "I could use a dip in those hot pools about now."

"Why don't we?" asks Lance, an interested look on his face, "Pidge mentioned them the other day…"

"We can't just waste time taking a swim," argues Keith, "There is plenty of work to do…"

"There is always work Keith," Lance gestures with irritation, "We've been pushed to the limit since we got here. Coran is on duty in control, Doom isn't attacking. Let's take an hour and go relax." He looks over at Sven, "We all could use some relaxation time."

"Hunk and Pidge aren't relaxing," retorts the commander.

"So, give them an hour off when they return," snorts Lance then looks over at Sven for help, "Wouldn't you like to go relax in some hot water?"

Sven finally speaks, "Yes, it sounds like a good idea. Might even help my shoulder a little."

Sighing, Keith finally gives in as the muscles in his neck twinge with discomfort once more, "Very well, go get your swim trunks on. Meet in the hallway in five minutes."

Rising, Sven mutters, "With my arm the way it is, better give me ten…"

Keith chuckles at the rejoinder as the other two men make their way out of his room. Walking toward his dresser, he pulls out his swim trunks and starts to undress.

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Fifteen minutes later, the men talk amongst themselves as they make their way toward the caverns. Deep in their conversation, they do not hear the noise coming from the pools until they stop just inside the door. Keith gasps at the sight of five nude women swimming around in the pools. His eyes seem to find Allura immediately as she talks animatedly with one of the other women. He hardens instantly at the sight of her and quickly turns around, giving the room his back.

Sven turns his gaze from the commander upon hearing his gasp to look over at the pool. The sight of the five women swimming in the nude has him flushing. His gaze locks with Romelle's as she lets out her own gasp then sinks down into the water, hiding her nudity. Shaken out of his musing, Sven quickly turns around as well while swearing under his breath.

As if stuck in a trance, Lance watches as Maia rises up out of the water looking like a goddess. Water rushes down her body as she notices him. Her hands move down to rest on her hips as she glares in challenge at him. His eyes move from the wet, red hair clinging to her body, down to her generous, high tipped breasts then lower to the find the water hiding the rest of her.

"Let's get out of here…"

The sound of Keith's voice barely registers as Lance starts to take a step into the cavern. He feels a hand on his arm, pulling him in the opposite direction instead, "I said let's go Lieutenant."

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Hearing Romelle's gasp, Allura looks over to find the three men standing at the entrance to the room. She smiles at the sight of the commander's back and watches as Sven quickly turns as well leaving only the lieutenant standing there facing the pools. She looks at the direction of his gaze to find Maia standing with her hands on her hips, oblivious to her own nudity as she glares at Lance for disturbing them.

Laughter bubbles out of her as she watches the commander grab onto Lance's arm and practically drag him from the room a moment later. She looks over as Kaya asks, "What is wrong with them? They could have gone into one of the other pools."

Turning to look over at the confused look on the Earth Kingdom princess' face, Allura laughs, "Did you not know? People from Earth do not bathe together apparently. They are very prudish."

Kaya shrugs as if to say, "Their loss," then dives back under the water.

"I saw they were wearing shorts of some kind…" says Devika curiously as she moves to sit down on one of the shelves built into the wall. "They wear clothes while bathing?"

"Yes…" laughs Allura some more then looks over to find a red-faced Romelle. She stops laughing abruptly then apologizes, "Sorry, I forgot that Pollux does not bathe together either."

Romelle nods to her then moves to sit on the other side of the pool, placing her back to the door. Allura sighs as she says, "Do not worry. They will not come back while we are still here."

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Moving with Keith and Sven back down the tunnel, Lance lets his mind drift back to the view of Princess Maia. In his mind's eye, he sees her nude body again as Keith sighs, "So much for relaxing…"

Lance clears his throat then says, "So, they were together…nude?"

"Yes," Keith replies in an exasperated tone, "People here think nothing of bathing together in the nude. They don't believe in swimsuits."

"Sweden is much the same way…"

Both men turn to look at Sven, who shrugs, "When I visited there as a teenager, I was taken to one of the public bath houses. They don't view nudity the same way we do." He remembers the look on Romelle's face then adds, "I don't think Romelle is quite used to it though…she was the only one that tried to hide."

"So…you looked at her," Lance's tone is snide, "before being a gentleman and giving them your back."

He yelps a moment later and glares at Keith for the slap to the back of the head, "What did you do that for?"

"Idiot," snorts Keith as he keeps walking, "If I hadn't stopped you, you would have jumped into that pool to join Princess Maia."

As Sven starts laughing, Lance feels his cheeks reddening even as he mumbles, "Yeah, she probably would have tried to drown me." As the other two break out in laughter, he thinks of something, "Keith, how did you know about the fact that they bathe together here in the nude?"

Keith can feel his own cheeks reddening as he remembers finding Allura in the pools the first time. Clearing his throat, he replies, "The hard way…"

Male laughter rings through the tunnel as they make their way back into the compound.

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Several hours later as he finishes reading through the final lines of his report, Keith sighs then hits the send button. Yawning, he stretches as he glances at the clock on the wall and grimaces at the lateness of the hour. He looks over as the door to the conference room opens and Allura walks in. She smiles at him as she asks, "Is the desk in your room inadequate for you?"

"No, I just needed a change of scenery," replies Keith as he starts to put his paperwork together. "That and nobody knew I was in here. I get more done when I'm not constantly interrupted."

Allura nods as she sits down on a chair next to him. She studies him closely for a moment as he finishes piling his papers together. He stops as he feels the intensity of her gaze and meets her eyes as he asks, "Is something wrong?"

"No, Maia returned to Fire Kingdom, the other princesses have gone to bed and I was not ready for sleep yet so decided to see if someone was in here," she answers as she settles back into her chair.

Smiling, Keith asks, "Did you all have a good time getting to know each other?"

"Yes, I foresee having some very good friends in the future."

Keith nods to her then starts to stand, "It's getting late…"

"May I ask you a question?" interrupts the princess.

Keith nods his head as he sits back down then chokes as she inquires, "Why does seeing me nude seem to bother you so much?"

While he tries to think of an appropriate response, she continues, "The other princesses thought it strange as well that you and the others did not just use a different pool. I know you have this strange sense of modesty…"

Reaching forward, Keith puts his fingers against her lips to stop her then pulls away almost immediately. He contemplates her for a moment then finally answers, "It's my upbringing. Where I come from, you don't see a woman nude unless you are intimately involved with her."

Allura nods but still looks confused and Keith sighs, "Princess, it bothers me because I'm a single man who works for Galaxy Garrison. Seeing you nude makes me want things I can't have. Do you understand?"

Comprehension lights Allura's eyes as she simply states, "You become aroused."

Closing his eyes as he chokes back a surprised laugh at her forthrightness, Keith finally nods, "Yeah, something like that."

She stares at him for a moment then informs him, "It is a normal function of the male body. Even when the groups bathe together, some of the younger men become aroused. We women simply ignore it as a common courtesy."

Shaking his head at her, Keith replies, "Not so easy for the men to ignore."

"No, I imagine not," sighs the princess as the expression on her face turns contemplative. She stares at the commander closely long enough to make him uncomfortable before she asks, "What did you mean, want what you cannot have?"

"Princess…" Keith stops and looks down at the table, unable to answer her.

"Does that mean I cannot have you if I wanted you?"

He turns his head, surprised to find her smiling at him. She leans forward and kisses his cheek then sits back to say, "Perhaps we both want the same thing."

Keith does not answer her as he continues to stare at her in surprise. The princess shrugs as she says, "I find myself liking you more and more each day. I think about you more than I should. I just do not know what to do about it yet."

"Me too," admits Keith with a small smile then clears his throat as he changes the subject, "I should probably go find my bed for the night. Tomorrow's going to be an eventful day."

"Yes, I suppose I should as well."

He watches as Allura suddenly stands and starts for the door. She looks back at him once more then smiles as she says, "Sleep well Keith. I shall see you at breakfast."

Keith nods to her and as she walks out the door, he quietly says, "Good night…Allura."


	33. Chapter 33

Reader K, to answer your question, I never thought about it too much. To me, Planet Earth is Planet Earth, just like Mars is Mars and Pluto is Pluto. I've never gotten into the science fiction of renaming it Terra like many authors have done. So when naming the kingdoms and using the names of natural resources, I called it Earth Kingdom. Terra Firma Kingdom just didn't sound right. ;) Good question though…keep the comments and questions coming.

I make no claims to Voltron or any WEP characters.

Origins: A Legend Unfolds: Chapter 33

The next morning, Allura walks out of her bathroom with only a towel wrapped around her body. She sits down at her vanity then picks up the hairbrush. As she starts running it through her hair, a memory from years before suddenly goes through her mind.

_Looking up into her mother's vanity mirror, the young princess watched her mother as she ran a brush through her daughter's hair. A sigh escaped the child as she relaxed under the ministrations when a question entered her mind. Sitting upright, Allura asked, "Mother, when did you know you loved Father?"_

_The queen paused in her brushing to stare inquiringly at her daughter, "Allura, what makes you ask such a question?"_

"_I heard father speaking of finding me a mate soon and I would like to love him as you love Father. But I do not know how to tell," explained the young princess as she gestured with her hands._

_Smiling, the queen sat down on the seat next to her daughter and hugged her as she explained, "You do not have to worry about such things for a long time yet, sweetness. Your father and I have already discussed your future. You will not be marrying anyone until your eighteenth birthday."_

_Pulling back to nod at her mother, Allura again asked, "But how will I know?"_

_Sighing, the queen thought for a moment then looked deeply into her daughter's eyes as she answered, "I knew the first time your father hugged me."_

"_Hugged you?" repeated the princess, looking disbelievingly at her._

_Laughing at the look on Allura's face, the queen pulled her daughter into her arms and hugged her tight. With her head resting on top of hers, she explained, "Yes, he held me as I am holding you now and I felt safe in his arms, like nothing in the world could harm me as long as he continued to hold me. That is when I knew."_

_Inhaling the scent of her mother's perfume, Allura returned the hug._

Coming out of her memory, the princess blindly stares at herself in the mirror as she thinks of the commander and the way he held her when they were trying to escape Pollux's castle. Too scared at the time to analyze how it felt, Allura sighs deeply while trying to remember it. Shaking her head, she looks at herself in the mirror again and states, "I will just have to ask him to hug me."

Nodding in affirmation, she starts pulling the brush through her hair again, much faster than before as she hurries to get ready.

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Walking out of his room, Keith makes his way to the gym. Pausing in the doorway, he finds Sven already in there, slowly lifting weights with his injured arm. Forcing himself to move, he finishes entering the room, asking, "Were you cleared for that?"

Setting down the weight, the Norwegian smiles up at him, "Good morning to you too."

Stopping in front of him with his hands on his hips, Keith growls, "Sven…"

"Yes, the doctor cleared me for small weights. I've been slowly working my way up to heavier and heavier ones," he explains then his face becomes serious, "I want to be the one in Blue lion when we first try to form Voltron. It's my right."

Recognizing the gleam of determination in his friend's eyes, Keith nods to him, "If you feel you are up to it, I'll allow it."

Looking relieved, Sven nods to him, "Good, it's what I want."

He rotates his arm experimentally then looks back up at his commander, "I should probably stop for now." Standing, Sven says, "I'll see you guys at breakfast."

Keith nods to him then watches him leave just as Princess Allura, dressed in her workout clothing with her braided hair going down her back, walks in. She glances around then smiles as she walks up to him, "Good morning."

"Morning," he replies and watches as she glances around a second time. He looks around them as well then looks back at her, his expression confused as he asks, "Is something wrong?"

"No!" exclaims the princess, feeling her cheeks turning red with embarrassment. She looks away then back at him as she adds, "I…I am curious about something though."

Noting her nervousness as she shifts unconsciously from one foot to another, Keith demands, "Allura, just tell me what you want to know."

"It is not something that can be said," she replies then steps closer to him. The princess looks up into his eyes as she moves to stand right in front of him then asks, "Could you hug me please?"

"Hug you?" he questions, his eyebrow arching.

Nodding to him, Allura moves even closer and reaches up to him. Her face is expressive with her curiosity and apprehension as she repeats, "Please?"

Still confused by the request, Keith finally nods then wraps his arms around her as she molds her body against his. Her arms wrap around him while she buries her face against his chest. When her head comes to rest just under his chin, the commander sighs then closes his eyes as he rests his cheek against her head and tightens his grip. He feels Allura relax against him, her fingers slowly releasing the back of his shirt. Resisting the urge to kiss her forehead, Keith instead whispers, "So, do you have your answer?"

When she pulls back to look up into his eyes, a smile slips across her lips and she replies, "Yes."

"What was the question?" he asks while returning the smile.

Allura's smile grows as she answers, "One day I will tell you."

Ready to object, only the sound of people coming causes Keith to simply nod then step back from her before they enter the room. Allura's expression turns to one of greeting as Lance, Pidge and Hunk enter the room, followed by Romelle. The commander looks away from her to order the group, "We have a long day today, let's get our workout in fast so we can get to breakfast then down to the tunnels so the princesses can revive Voltron's spirit."

As the men cheer and start their morning run, Allura shares a smile with her cousin Romelle then they take off after them.

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An hour and a half later, Pidge walks out of his room, freshly showered and ready for breakfast. He quickly walks down the hallways then pauses suddenly at the entrance of the hallway that leads to the dining room. Devika stands near one of the portraits hanging on the wall, studying it intently. She becomes aware of his presence and turns to face him, a smile on her face as she says, "Good morning Darryl."

"Good morning," replies Pidge as he steps closer to her.

Devika studies him closely, enjoying the way his short, still damp hair curls about his ears and neck slightly. Her gaze moves down, taking in the muscular chest and waist that tapers down to his slim hips. When she looks back up into his face, she notes the red cheeks and the fact that he's looking over her head as he asks, "Why aren't you at breakfast?"

"I was waiting for you."

He immediately looks back at her, his eyes widening slightly in shock. Taking a step closer, the princess says, "I have not seen you since our arrival yesterday." A shy smile slips across her lips as she adds, "I missed you."

Clearing his throat uncomfortably, Pidge takes a step forward as he says, "We should probably go to the dining room. They will be waiting for us."

"Wait!"

He stops abruptly at the panicky sound in the princess' voice and the sudden nervous look in her eyes. "I do not…know…what it is we are doing…to wake Voltron's spirit. I…I was hoping…" Devika stops and looks pleadingly at him, "Are you coming with us when we go?"

"I don't think there's anything to be afraid of Devika…" starts Pidge only to have her grab onto his arm and implore, "Please, say you will come!"

Instinctively, Pidge pulls her into his arms and hugs her closely as he whispers, "I promise you will be safe! I won't let anything hurt you."

As he becomes aware of her body relaxing into his and hears a sigh of contentment escape out of her, Pidge becomes uncomfortable and pulls away from her. His own tone is a little shaky as he says, "Let's join the others for breakfast."

He misses the smile on Devika's face as she grabs onto his arm, forcing him to escort her into the dining room. Pidge notices the contemplative look on his commander's face and groans inwardly as he guides Devika to a chair beside her mother and helps to push it in as she sits down. Deliberately moving farther down the table, he sits next to Lance.

The lieutenant looks past him down the table at the youngest princess to find a disappointed look on her face as she looks toward Pidge then her attention is pulled away as her mother asks her a question. Looking back at his friend, Lance asks with a smile, "New girlfriend?"

His smile grows as Pidge's face turns a bright red and he mutters, "No!"

"Hmm…I don't think she shares your sentiments."

Pidge refuses to answer him and instead fills his coffee cup. He feels his cheeks heating even more as Lance laughs quietly beside him. Suddenly the lieutenant's tone turns serious, "Just be careful Pidge. She's young enough to get you thrown into military prison."

"A fact I've already explained to her," groans Pidge.

Lance laughs some more, "One of those huh?"

"One of what?" asks the younger man, turning to face him.

"Doesn't take no for an answer," he explains as he starts putting jam on his toast. Looking back at Pidge, he lifts his eyebrows up and exclaims, "Run now!" before bursting out laughing.

Across the table, Keith looks from the private's red cheeks down to Princess Devika to note the disappointed look on her face before her attention is taken by her mother. Sighing, he thinks, _'That could pose a problem,'_ then turns his attention back to the door as the advisor walks into the room. The look on his face has the muscles in Keith's back tightening as Coran sits across from him. Unwilling to wait, he demands, "What's wrong?"

"We will not be reviving Voltron's spirit this morning I am afraid. Vasin, Princess Maia's commander, called to inform me that an important matter has come up that the princess must resolve. Once that is completed, she will rejoin us." Coran picks up the teapot and pours himself a cup as he waits for the commander's reaction. It does not take long before Keith explodes.

"This is unbelievable!" He stands up, gaining the attention of every person in the room, "She, above all others, knows how important this is!"

From across the room, Allura rises from her seat and moves toward Keith as she asks, "What is wrong?"

Keith's angry eyes shift toward her as he growls, "_Princess Maia_ is dealing with something more important than fixing Voltron's spirit and won't be here until she completes it."

"I am sure it is something equally important, Keith. Maia would not put this off for something trivial," placates the princess as she touches his arm.

His eyes move down to the fingers resting on his arm and Keith feels himself calming down. Taking a deep breath, he nods to her as she smiles up at him then looks over at his men. Sven arches an eyebrow at him questioningly as he crosses his arms. Ignoring him, the commander orders, "After breakfast we're going out for lion practice. We might as well make good use of the extra time."

"May I ride with you?"

The softly asked question has Keith turning back to Allura. She smiles up at him as she adds, "Learning through observation is just as effective as instructional teaching."

"Yes, I suppose it can be," agrees the commander. He returns the smile then suggests, "Go finish your breakfast so we can practice."

As Allura returns to her seat and Keith sits back down to resume eating his breakfast, Lance leans over to whisper to Sven, "Was that what I thought it was?"

"Yes, I think so," replies the Norwegian with a sigh, "there is definitely something going on between them."

"At least someone might get lucky during this trip," mumbles Lance as his thoughts go to Princess Maia.

Sven smiles at him then glances at the princess next to him. Romelle sits engaged in conversation with Princess Kaya, the two women laughing occasionally as they converse. His eyes move over her form, most of the bruising gone from the attack by Lotor. As if feeling his gaze, she turns her head and smiles at him. Feeling his breath catching in chest, he thinks, _'It isn't just getting lucky…it's finding love.'_ He returns the smile, places his hand on top of hers on the table, squeezes it then releases her. As she returns to her conversation with Kaya, Sven turns his attention back to his breakfast.

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Only the light of the lit torches shows the way down the hot caverns near the heated pools as Maia moves along it with several armed guards, including Commander Vasin. The guard leading the way calls back, "This way Highness, we are almost there."

After wiping the sweat from her face, Maia shares a concerned look with Vasin then they quicken their steps in an attempt to keep up. Reaching the end of the tunnel several minutes later, the princess moves to the area the guard is pointing and grimaces. The mutilated bodies of two guards lie on top of each other, hidden behind a bolder. The smell from them is almost overpowering, causing Maia to hold a hand over her nose and step back.

"They failed to report in yesterday afternoon, found them this morning."

Rage goes through her as Maia turns to her commander, "Lock down Fire Kingdom. Every single person is to be verified with a DNA check and I want every room, closet, hallway, tunnel or crevice checked. I want to know who did this." Flames seem to shine in her eyes as she finishes, "They will pay."

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Strapped into the seat behind the command chair, Allura watches Keith as he works the controls to the lion while calling out orders. Her eyes move to his right hand, the mark completely lit as he pulls down on the control, sending Black lion straight up into the air. She holds her breath without realizing it as he states, "That's it, once you hit 3Gs level off then dive!"

Her breath comes out in a gasp as they are suddenly diving toward the ground. A frisson of fear jumps through her as the hard earth approaches only to leave as Keith pulls the lion back up into the air. He glances back at her to ask, "Still all right?"

At her nod, he turns back to the monitors to command, "Flying V formation through the valley then split off. Lance, I want you and Pidge to go South and check the parameters of Fire and Earth Kingdoms. Sven, Hunk, check Water and Wind Kingdoms."

After the men's confirmations, Keith calls out, "Split off now!"

Once the other lions depart, Allura asks, "What are we going to do?"

"A quiz."

"Quiz? On what?" she inquires, irritated by the short answer.

Keith lands the lion on a mountain ledge then gets out of the command chair. He gestures for the princess to rise then steps back behind the command chair. "Remember telling me that learning through observation is just as good as instructional learning? I want to see what you've learned."

Taking a deep breath, Allura slowly releases it as she sits down in the chair and straps herself in. She can sense the intensity of the man standing behind her as he softly orders, "Get us up into the air, Allura."

"As you wish, _Commander,_" she replies with a smile as she pulls back hard on the controls, pushing Black lion into the blue skies of Arus.

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An hour later, the princess lands the lion back on the same cliff and listens to Keith as he says, "Good job, Allura." She turns to look at him and arches an eyebrow, "Did you think I was not paying attention?"

He smiles at her, causing her breath to catch, then replies, "Well, I was wondering at times. You aren't normally that quiet."

Narrowing her eyes, she demands, "What does that comment mean?"

His eyes dance with mischievous laughter as he answers, "That you usually like to give your opinion, especially when it isn't asked for."

"Is that so!" she gives him her back, her chin rising higher.

Unstrapping himself from the side seat, Keith moves to kneel beside her and teasingly pleads, "Oh, Princess Allura, I am so sorry if I have insulted you. Would you please consider forgiving me?"

Looking out the corner of her eyes at him, Allura can still see the laughter he is trying to hold in and feels herself fighting not to smile. She turns away again, giving him her back while sniffling loudly.

"I'm willing to give you a genuine apology in exchange for you telling me what you learned from hugging me this morning."

The sincerity of his tone has her turning around to face him. All humor is gone from his expression and the intensity of his gaze burns through her as he adds, "Please tell me."

"You will think it stupid," she replies as she looks away from him again.

His hand on her cheek has her turning back as he smiles at her, "Try me."

Reaching up to cover his hand with hers, she whispers, "I remembered something my mother once told me." When he only continues to look at her inquiringly, Allura quietly speaks, "That I would know the man I belong to…" she stops with a sigh.

"By the way you felt in his arms?" Keith finishes for her, the smile still on his face. At her nod, he asks, "Did you get the answer you wanted?"

"Yes," the princess replies but quickly adds, "However, I do not yet know if this is something I should do. So much has happened in the last two weeks, is this love or simply a girlish crush that will fade away?"

Keith stands back up and stares down at her, "A crush?" He reaches for her cheek again, his thumb gently moving over the soft skin, "I suppose finding a beautiful princess in need of my help could inspire a crush like you say. However, I don't think that is what this is." Giving into a long held desire, he leans down, kisses her forehead then pulls back with a smile on his face. As she looks up at him in wonder, he finishes, "As you already said, it has only been two weeks. We have time Allura. I am willing to wait for you to decide."

Recovering from her sudden fluttering heart at the innocent kiss, she smiles up at him in appreciation, "Thank you."

Clearing his throat, he gestures back to the controls, "Let's get back to the compound. I'm hoping Maia will be able to join us soon."

Nodding to him, Allura turns back around and grabs onto the controls. Pulling back on the handle, she launches Black lion up into the air once more.


	34. Chapter 34

Welcome to the chapter most of you have been waiting for since the quest for the princesses began…Lance4Ever and Raelee514…the long awaited Lance/Maia scenes are coming…I promise…really...

Many thanks to Xia for stepping in this week to edit, Wade Wells is having a really busy week, or two…or three.

I make no claims to Voltron or any WEP characters.

Origins: A Legend Unfolds: Chapter 34

As Allura settles Black lion into a sitting position, she looks over by the door to the cavern and is a bit surprised to see Coran waiting there with the other pilots. Standing, she looks back at Keith to find him grimacing as he stares at the monitor. His tone is grim as he says, "This can't be good."

He shifts his gaze back to her then gestures to her, "We better get down there to see what is going on. Ladies first."

Allura moves to the side hatch and jumps down to the ground, waiting as Keith lands beside her. He cautiously glances at her once more before moving toward the entrance. Quickly following, the princess keeps in step with until she notices the worried expression on her advisor as she nears him. Feeling trepidation burning through her, she demands, "What's wrong?"

"Princess Maia appeared to me briefly and asked to speak in private. Apparently, there were two guards horribly murdered over in Fire Kingdom. She has Fire Kingdom locked down and they are confirming identification on the residents while looking for the perpetrator. That is why she could not be here this morning. She has contacted each of the kingdoms and has suggested that we do the same."

"That's a good idea," interjects Keith as he glances at his men to find that each of them has a worried look on their faces. Moving his gaze to Allura, he asks, "What will it take to lock down Storm Kingdom?"

Arching an eyebrow at him, Coran sarcastically replies, "We are always locked down. With Drules walking about freely on the planet for the last ten years, it is not like we leave our doors open." He sighs deeply as he concedes, "However, there are some areas of the compound that intruders may be able to access without our knowledge."

As Keith stands there with a neutral expression on his face, awaiting the advisor to continue, Allura looks from one to the other then starts, "Oh for the love of the Gods!" Looking back at Keith, she explains, "There are underground rivers that flow between the kingdoms. We use them for simple drinking water, to power the kingdoms and to grow food in the Greenhouses. If an enemy knew of them, they could be used to move from one kingdom to another. There is also the tunnels."

Resisting the urge to swear profusely, Keith turns to Coran, "How are they guarded now?"

"We have video security and guard rotations, but…"

"Someone with enough knowledge could get past them," finishes the commander for him.

"Sadly, yes," admits the advisor.

Sighing deeply, Keith glances over at his men then gives his next order, "Pidge, Hunk, see what you need to beef up security in those areas."

At their nod, Coran states, "I'll show you the way."

"All right, the rest of us will get back to work." The commander looks over at Lance, "You have control." He glances back at Allura one final time then starts back toward the compound entrance, followed by the others.

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An hour later, Keith makes his way tiredly to the dining room. He rubs the back of his neck as he walks then sighs as he pauses before the portrait of King Alfor again. His eyes move over the monarch as he wonders what the man had been thinking the last few days before Arus fell. The commander jumps a moment later when he feels a hand fall on his shoulder. Turning around with lightning fast speed while adopting a defensive stance, he finds Allura behind him, her hands up as if to block a blow. Standing upright, Keith cannot help the growl that escapes him, "You should know better than to sneak up on me like that! I could have hurt you!"

Arching an eyebrow at him as she puts her hands on her hips, Allura retorts, "I said your name. Obviously, you did not hear me."

Groaning, Keith wipes his face with his hands then looks apologetically at her, "I'm sorry. My mind was on other things."

Allura glances at the picture of her parents then back at the commander to ask, "Are you all right? You do not have another headache do you?"

Shaking his head," he replies, "No, I'm fine Allura. There's just been a lot going on and we still don't have Voltron. I just have this feeling the Drules are going to come at us soon and we won't be ready for them."

Moving toward him, the princess cups his cheek as she states, "I have faith in you Keith. You will keep us safe."

He cannot help the snort that escapes him, "I need some help in that department. We need Maia to get here."

Allura smiles up at him, but before she can answer a bright flash illuminates the hall. It fades away to reveal Princess Maia. She has a grim look on her face as she notes the two in front of her, "I came as soon as I could."

"Did you find the ones who killed your men?" asks Allura as she moves away from Keith.

A blazing anger shines on Maia's face as she spits out, "Not yet. The DNA confirmation of the people of Fire Kingdom is finished and everyone is accounted for. Whoever did this is gone. I no longer saw a reason to delay coming back here."

Keith speaks carefully as he says, "Thank you. I think we will all rest easier once we can form Voltron."

Her imperious emerald eyes move over him swiftly as Maia bites out, "I will rest easier when Doom no longer has free rein on Arus. See it done Commander."

She brushes past him without letting him reply and walks into the dining room. Keith watches her go, anger at her attitude warring with his understanding of her frustration. He feels a hand on his arm and turns to find Allura smiling softly at him, "She did not mean to insult you. It is just hard, there are so few of us left…"

Keith holds up his hand to stop her, "I know Allura. Her anger isn't directed at me but at a situation she can't control." He takes a deep breath and slowly releases it in an effort to calm down. Looking back at the princess, he states, "I understand her frustration, I just wish she wouldn't take it out on the people around her."

Leaning up on her toes, Allura kisses his cheek then smiles up at him, "Feeling better?"

Keith lightly touches his cheek then returns the smile, "Depends, if I say no, can I get another kiss?"

As she narrows her eyes at him, Allura fights against the humorous smile that threatens to escape her. He grins at her unrepentantly and she finally exclaims, "You are incorrigible!"

"On occasion," he agrees then holds out his elbow to her, "Can I escort you to the dining room Highness?"

Taking his arm, she mutters, "And I thought Lance was the flirt of the group."

"He is," replies Keith then he smiles down at her, "But you seem to bring it out of me."

"Lucky me," retorts the princess to which Keith whispers, "But, you are. You are the first woman in a long, long time that I have found worthwhile flirting with."

Allura smiles up at him as he winks at her then his expression turns neutral as they enter the dining room together.

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Watching from across the room, Lance notes Maia's entrance then follows her slowly as she makes her way about the room, speaking to different people. Breaking away from Kaya a moment later, she makes her way to the side table and pours herself a glass of wine. As she takes a sip of it, Lance moves to stand alongside of her, "Are you all right?"

She glances at him then retorts, "Why would I not be?"

Sighing, Lance turns to face her, "Maia, I know you are upset about the men you lost. I just wanted to know if you're all right, not to start a fight."

Her cheeks redden slightly as she stiffly nods, "I am sorry. I am fine, thank you."

"I know you have fully capable men, but if you want any help at all, you only need to ask," states the lieutenant solemnly as he stares into her eyes intently.

Feeling his sincerity, Maia places a hand on his arm, "Thank you, but I do not think there is much you or anyone else can do. The killers are gone from Fire Kingdom, for the moment at least."

Nodding, Lance glances over to find everyone else taking their seats. Looking back at Maia, he offers, "Can I escort you to the table?"

She stares at him intently for a moment then finally nods, taking his arm. He guides her to two free seats and holds out a chair for her. Pushing it in as she sits down, Lance quickly sits down next to her then smiles, "I'm glad you made it in time for lunch."

"Why?" the princess asks as she studies him closely, looking for an ulterior motive.

Feeling his smile growing, the lieutenant states, "I need someone to talk to."

"There are many people in here," retorts Maia as she glances around the table.

"Yes," agrees Lance then starts pointing, "Hunk and Kaya sit together every meal now. It is almost impossible to get a word in edgewise." He continues onto the people next to them, "Queen Arielle and Coran converse almost every meal. Bandor and Audric sit and conspire against us adults, Devika waits until Pidge sits down then sits next to him in order to flirt with him the whole time…"

Maia feels herself starting to smile as he keeps going around, "Sven and Romelle are in their own little world and lately," he stops on the last couple at the table to sarcastically state, "Keith and Princess Allura have been trying not to show how attracted they are to each other when it's perfectly obvious to a blind person."

He gestures to them, "Look! They can barely keep their eyes off each other!"

Looking over at them, Maia notes how Allura keeps looking at Keith then forcing herself to look away only to look again. Trying hard not to laugh, the Fire Kingdom princess looks back at Lance, "Poor baby, have you been lonely?"

He gives her a hangdog expression, "Very! Can't you tell?"

Laughter begins to bubble out of her as Maia looks away from him, trying hard to cover her amusement. She immediately looks back when he takes her hand, "Seriously, thank you for coming to lunch. I was starting to feel like a pariah."

She smiles at him even as she pulls her hand away, "You are welcome."

Taking the hint, Lance turns back to the table and asks, "Ready for this awakening thing?"

"What is there to be ready for?" sighs the princess, "We do not know yet what will happen."

"Guess we will find out after lunch, won't we?" states Lance as he smiles at her again. She simply nods in answer then smiles at the servant who places her lunch in front of her.

Lance spends the rest of lunch trying to engage Maia in conversation and saying things that will make her smile while occasionally taking a bite of his own meal.

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Finished with her own meal, Allura covertly glances over at Keith. She swears mentally when he catches her looking at him and discretely winks at her before returning to his meal. Forcing herself to look away, she gazes down the table, noting most of the men are still eating while the women have finished. She stops on Maia to note that she looks much more relaxed than when she had arrived. Allura cannot help smiling when Maia laughs at something Lance says to her between bites of food.

'_Good, she needs to laugh,'_ she thinks as she settles back in her chair to relax.

"Princess Allura, as soon as everyone has finished eating, we should adjourn to the Black lion's cavern."

Allura turns her attention to her advisor as he adds, "We should not delay a moment longer."

"I agree."

Turning to face Keith, she watches as he quickly wipes his mouth with his napkin before discarding it on the plate as he adds, "We've been delayed long enough."

He turns to look pointedly down the table, "Everyone finished?"

Allura barely hides the smile she feels trying to cross her face as Lance gives the commander a disgruntled look but puts his napkin on his plate as well. She immediately looks back at him as Keith rises from his seat, "Let's get a move on then."

He holds out a hand to her, which the princess takes and rises from her seat as well. She smiles at him as he gently squeezes her hand before releasing it then looks over as Coran asks, "Commander, if you would please escort Queen Arielle down to the lion's cavern, I want to check on things in control then will join all of you."

At Keith's nod, he looks over at Allura, "I will leave it to you to guide everyone down there then."

"Yes Coran," she replies then watches as he walks out of the room. Turning her attention to the rest, Allura orders, "Follow me please."

As she walks toward the door, she sees Keith holding out his elbow to Queen Arielle from the corner of her eye. Smiling at Romelle as she passes by her and Sven, Allura leads the way out of the room and down the hallways leading to the lower level exit of the compound.

She slowly walks down the steps, feeling her apprehension climbing with every step as she nears the entrance to the cavern. After glancing behind her to make sure everyone is still following, Allura takes a deep breath as she leads the way then stopping when they reach Black lion's resting place. Allura looks up at the huge mechanical lion then around her as she notices the princesses have moved away from their escorts and are standing in a line with her.

Approaching from behind, Keith leads Queen Arielle into the cavern in time to hear Princess Devika ask, "What do we do now?"

Before anyone can answer her, the room magically lights up suddenly. Five white balls of light fly about the room and circle Black lion before stopping to appear in front of the princesses. As the spirits of the former kings of Arus appear in front of their respective offspring, Queen Arielle cries out, "Harold!" The ghostly king smiles sadly at his wife but his attention goes back to his daughter, whom he studies closely. Devika tries to reach out, her fingers going through the spirit's hand as she says, "Father…"

Maia and Kaya stand next to each other, holding hands and staring at their ghostly fathers as the kings stare back at them. Feeling the tears sliding down her cheeks, Kaya releases Maia's hand while whispering, "Oh Gods…Father." The ghost of King Ryon holds out a ghostly hand as if to cup his daughter's cheek as a tear slides down it, but does not speak. Maia glances at Kaya then back to her own father, "I am ready." King Kerrick smiles at his daughter, his gaze never wavering from her face.

Fearing the spirit of the grandfather that looks so much like her father while standing in front of her, Romelle tries to step back only to find Sven behind her, whispering in her ear, "I'm here Romelle. Nothing will harm you." She smiles nervously back at him appreciatively then steps forward to face her grandfather once more. King Byron smiles disarmingly at her as he says, "You look like your grandmother." His eyes drift over to Princess Allura as he adds, "You both do…I am proud of you my children."

Allura smiles back at him then faces her own parent, "What do we need to do now Father?"

King Alfor's spirit simply smiles at her then suddenly the spirits all return to the balls of light and fly forward into their offspring's body. Keith releases Queen Arielle as he rushes forward crying, "Allura!" as she bends forward as if receiving a body blow then abruptly stands upright. He stops and watches as the princesses all rise up into the air otherworldly. Unbound portions of their hair flow around them weightlessly as they turn about mid-air to face the shocked expressions below. Their eyes are white, the color of their pupils barely showing and their faces have a vague expression on them. A light shines within them, making their skin seem translucent.

Still staggering in shock, Sven starts to step forward, his hand up in the air as if to grab Romelle's foot. He stops a moment later when he feels a hand on his shoulder. Lance's face is pale, his eyes on Maia even as he steps beside his friend to say, "She is all right," not entirely sure if he is comforting himself or Sven by saying it. He watches Maia's fiery hair move about her face, moved by a wind he cannot feel, as her hands drift listless at her sides.

Fighting against the panic he feels building, Pidge stares up helplessly at Devika as she floats above him, seemingly unaware of her surroundings. He senses Hunk moving beside him, but makes no comment as he continues to watch the young princess he swore to protect with his life.

Allura floats forward, her hand pointing as if reaching out to Keith, who still stands below her. Her voice sounds oddly otherworldly as she says, "To awaken Voltron is to let go and be moved with the spirits of Arus." The princess turns away and begins to rise, followed by the other royals, floating toward the Black lion. Devika moves forward first, touching the portion of the crest that belongs to Wind Kingdom then moves back as it starts to glow a bright green. As she floats over to a place alongside of the lion, Kaya moves forward, her fingers brushing against the symbol of Earth Kingdom underneath it, causing it to flash a bright yellow. When finished, she moves to the other side of the lion, across from Devika. Maia and Romelle each take a turn floating forward, causing the emblem to glow with the added colors of red and blue before moving into positions around the lion.

Finally, Allura floats ahead. Holding his breath without realizing it, Keith watches as the princess moves forward to touch the top of the crest. As the emblem begins to flash sequentially with the colors of the lions, Allura moves to a position in front of the lion, becoming the final piece of the circle of princesses surrounding it. The light from the crest burst out, hitting Allura as she raises her arms, extending them out. It flows from her in both directions, going through each of the princesses. The light within them brightens as it moves from princess to princess until it becomes so bright that Keith lifts his hand in front of his eyes to block it. He looks back when he hears the roar of a lion and watches as the eyes of Black lion flash bright yellow as it roars a second time. The light moving around the girls fades and he watches as the princesses slowly float back to them. Keith steps forward, his eyes on Allura as she pauses above him and gently lowers to the ground. The ball of light leaves her suddenly and she drops into his arms.

Keith wraps his arms around her to keep her from falling to the ground and watches as her eyes slowly flutter open to reveal the brilliant sapphire depths. She digs her fingers into his shoulders to steady herself while moaning softly. Her voice is groggy sounding as she murmurs, "Keith?"

He does not answer as he glances down the line to find each of the men holding a barely conscious princess in his arms. Keith looks up to find the balls of light slowly moving around then growing into one. King Alfor's voice comes out of it, "We have done what we can…it is up to you now." The balls of light split apart again and fly at the couples, passing through the princess and into the man holding her. Sucking in a deep breath at the feeling, Keith looks down to find Allura's confused eyes staring up at him, as if she is seeing him for the first time.

Feeling strong arms around her, Maia groans softly as she opens her eyes. Upon seeing light brown ones above her followed by those lips that remind her of the taste of him, she pulls away almost violently. Her chest heaves as she glares at Lance, "What do you think you were doing?"

Concern leaves him as the lieutenant retorts, "Keeping you from landing ass first on the ground." His eyes harden slightly as he adds, "Next time I won't bother…"

Next to them, Sven shakes his head ruefully then looks back down at the princess in his arms. Romelle stares up at him, a confused look on her face as she asks, "What happened?"

Looking up at the Black lion, now standing motionless, the Norwegian responds, "I'm not entirely sure…but I think you and the others reawakened the spirit of Voltron." He smiles softly down at her, "We won't know until we try it though."

Keeping her eyes closed, Kaya listens to the voices around her as she feels Hunk's arms shift around her waist, holding her close to his hard body while he softly calls her name. A feeling of contentment goes through her and she sighs deeply before wrapping her arms around his neck, hugging him to her while whispering, "I am fine…" She feels Hunk relax then his arms tighten around her, returning the hug.

Watching the events from behind with her hand on her mouth, Queen Arielle glances at King Alfor's advisor as he places a hand on her shoulder then back to the young man holding her only daughter in his arms. As Devika stirs, her hand slides off Pidge's arm to dangle. Arielle gasps as her eyes lock onto a new mark on her daughter's left hand.

Pulling away from Coran, she races forward even as Devika opens her eyes while saying Pidge's name. Both young people look at her confused as Arielle takes her daughter's hand within hers and studies the mark. Incredulous eyes move from Devika to the princess next to her. Arielle grabs Romelle's hand next only to find Water Kingdom's mark, "That is impossible…"

"What is it Queen Arielle?"

She looks up to find the commander approaching her, his arm still around the waist of a still slightly dazed Princess Allura in order to keep her steady. Taking a step forward, she takes Allura's hand within her own and runs a finger over the new tattoo, "Do you know what this mark signifies?"

At Keith's short shake of his head, she glances at the others as they gather around her. They all look at her slightly confused. Raising her own left hand, she shows them the mark that appeared on the back her hand when she was a bride. "Though my mark faded when my Harold died…" Her eyes bore into the commander's as she looks back at him, "It is given when a king marks his queen."

When he fails to respond, she takes his marked hand and forces him to take Allura's within his, palm to palm. Both marks light up and a white light shines brightly between their joined hands. "It means you are mated…married." She hears the gasps around her and looks over to find Maia shaking her head, looking wild-eyed while trying to back away from Lance.

Allura quickly pulls her hand away from Keith's as well, the light immediately fading, her eyes wide with surprise, "But how is that possible?"

"The spirits of the kings decided…"

Coran steps forward, his face implacable as he adds, "I would hazard that your fathers have chosen your mates for you."

"I will not accept it!"

Everyone turns to face Maia, whose wild eyes glare at Lance for a moment before looking back at Coran. "No man chooses my fate for me! My father lost that right when he died and left me to survive on my own!"

Allura reaches over to place a comforting hand on her arm only for Maia to push her away, "I am done with all of this!" She turns around and runs out of the cavern. Allura turns her gaze to Lance, whose shocked eyes meet hers before he turns and runs after his princess, "Maia! Wait!"

Silence fills the cavern as the remaining people look around at each other. Keith finally sighs, "Let's get back to the compound. We will worry about this…" he pauses as if to gather himself, his eyes glancing at the tattoo on his hand, "mark…later." He looks over at Sven to find him equally pale and shaken, "Once Lance returns, we will go out and see if we can form Voltron."

As the others turn and start walking out of the cavern, Keith reaches out to lightly grasp Allura's wrist, stopping her. His eyes bore into hers as he asks, "Are you all right?"

She stares at him silently then nods before saying, "I do not understand this…" Her newly marked hand rises and Keith notices for the first time that it is the exact same mark that is on his right hand. Taking a deep breath, he takes her hand within his own, "We will figure it out together Allura…I promise you."

Her eyes move down to their joined hands then she looks back at him to nod. Unable to help himself, Keith pulls her into his arms and hugs her closely to him for a moment then releases her. Raising her hand, he kisses the back of it then places it on his elbow. Meeting her eyes, he smiles softly at her as he leads them out of the cavern.


	35. Chapter 35

I'm glad so many of you enjoyed the spirit awakening. Many thanks for all the reviews. This chapter does have a sexually explicit scene, if that bothers you, please don't read it. Thanks!

I make no claims to Voltron or any WEP characters.

Origins: A Legend Unfolds: Chapter 35

With anger and panic licking at her insides, Maia continues to run out of the cavern. Ignoring the sound of the fast footfalls behind her, she reaches the entrance then pauses. Turning on the spot, her wild eyes meet Lance's as he gasps, "Please Maia…"

Shaking her head at him, she closes her eyes and looks up, concentrating on her destination. Before she manages to vanish, a hand grabs onto her and is pulled along with her. She opens her eyes to find herself back in her own bedroom at Fire Kingdom, but an unwelcome visitor is standing beside her. Lance still holds onto her wrist as he looks around the room while sucking in a deep breath to calm his stomach, "What the hell…"

Ripping her hand away from him, Maia screams, "How dare you!"

Holding up his hands up in surrender, he replies, "Please Maia…just stop and calm down."

"I do not need you Lance McClain…you or any other man! I have been taking care of myself since I turned seventeen!" she snarls at him in return then turns away. She stomps over to her bed and sits down on it, breathing in deeply. Feeling a little calmer, she opens her eyes to find him standing in front of her. Her eyes flash emerald fire as she demands, "Get out."

"No, I won't," replies Lance as he sits down on the mattress beside her, but not touching her. His eyes are soft as he says, "You and I always seem to say or do the one thing that is going to make the other one mad…why is that?"

Maia does not answer him. She looks away, her arms crossed over her chest, as she tries to ignore him. He studies her profile for several long moments then states, "I don't want to fight with you anymore Maia. I fight enough with Doom."

She stays silent as she stares at the far wall. When she does not order him out of the room again, he says, "You know, I always thought I would never marry. That there couldn't possibly be a woman out there that could hold my interest for more than a few months at best…forget years." Glancing over, Lance finds her studying him. Maia slowly drops her arms, so that they are resting alongside her as her eyes continue to probe him. Managing a soft smile, he continues, "I've never felt like I belong anywhere either…like I'm home." Reaching over with his hand, he takes her stiff hand within his, his thumb gently moving across the mark that matches his own. His voice barely comes out in a whisper as he finishes, "Until I came to Arus. It's destroyed, the people are suspicious of everyone and everything…" He pauses, a smile crossing his face before he continues, "You are probably the most suspicious of the lot…yet I never want to leave Arus…or you."

Lance looks back at her to find tears in her eyes. Reaching over with his free hand, he wipes at the tears sliding down her cheek. "I'm not asking you to marry me Maia, but I wish you would give me a chance." Emerald green eyes search his face intently before she softly speaks, "Every man I have ever trusted has left me."

"I can't promise you that Maia," Lance sighs as he turns away to face the wall across from her bed once more. "I'm a soldier first. It's my job to put my life on the line to help other people. The only thing I can promise you is that I'll never want to be with anyone else." He feels her shifting on the mattress next to him then her head against his shoulder. Moving his arm around her, Lance holds her to him and buries his face into her hair.

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Rubbing his face tiredly much later, Keith moves away from the dais to look at the remaining men, "Lance won't make it back tonight. Maia took them to Fire Kingdom and he's still calming her down." He looks past the men to the princess studying him covertly from across the room. When she accidently meets his eyes, she flushes slightly but manages a smile then looks away. Forcing his attention back to the others, he finishes, "Go get some rest. Coran set up the guard rotation with his men so we can all get some much needed sleep for one night."

As Hunk, Sven and Pidge turn around and leave the room, Keith walks across the room. Leaning his hip against the side of the equipment, he quietly asks, "Are you all right?"

Allura ignores his question as she looks at the information coming across the screen. "I do not like this…there are no forces from Doom here at all. It is not like them. They have had ships here constantly since Arus fell ten years ago."

"It's because they know we have the lions and that sooner or later we would take them out. The Drules have never struck me as stupid." His eyes move over her as she continues to stare at the screen, her cheeks still slightly pink from her earlier embarrassment. Looking down at the mark on her left hand, his mind moves over the events in the cavern again and a feeling of possessiveness overtakes him. Reaching over, he lightly runs his fingertips over the mark then takes her hand within his. Listening to her breathing quickening, Keith raises her hand and places a soft kiss on the mark.

Noticing that the noise level in the room has suddenly dropped, Keith releases her hand and turns to look pointedly at the other men. They all look away and go back to their duties. Turning his attention back to Allura, he finds her face red and her eyes angry looking as she quietly hisses at him, "Do not do that again."

Arching an eyebrow, Keith inquires, "Touch you?"

"You are undermining me in front of these men! They will think I am nothing but a…a…brood mare again!" Allura pulls away from him and stomps out of the room.

Keith looks over at the other men to find smirks on their faces as they talk amongst themselves and a few glance toward the door the princess had walked through. Glaring at the men, the commander snarls, "Get back to work!"

As the men in the room race about to get back to their stations, Keith quickly walks out the door. Swearing to himself for being such an idiot, he quickly makes his way to the princess' room and knocks on the door. He hears a muffled voice on the inside telling him to go away. Sighing, he presses the button to open the door and is relieved when it opens.

Walking inside, he finds Allura sitting on her bed, her back to him as she stares at the digital window that shows the night sky. Moving around the bed, he sits down next to her and says, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…embarrass you…in front of the men."

She finally turns her face toward him, her eyes over bright with unshed tears. Her voice is steady though as she retorts, "I have had to fight against the old views since my father died. The men think women are only good for one thing!"

"Allura…" Keith sighs as he reaches out to take her hand again. She pulls it away from him as she snarls, "You have destroyed in one moment what took years to build."

"I'm sorry!" Standing up, Keith steps in front of her so that he's facing her, "I don't think you are only worth the children I can get off you Allura." Running his hand through his hair, he looks back down at her, his tone conciliatory, "You are the most resilient woman I've ever met. I know you are a good pilot and would be proud to have you fight beside me."

As she stares silently up at him, Keith groans as he sits back down on the bed, "I'm terrible at this Allura. I don't know what to say. I'm not charming. I don't know how to…woo you…to make you want to be with me." He stops and stares at the digital window.

He feels her hand on top of his a moment later. Looking over at her, Keith finds her staring intently at him as she says, "You do not have to be charming, just more conscientious."

"I'll try to improve on that," he replies quietly as he turns his hand to intertwine their fingers.

A smile crosses Allura's face as she leans over and places a light kiss on his cheek. Smiling, Keith starts to rise, "I should get to bed, it isn't too often that I get to sleep all night."

"Do not go," Allura's voice sounds plaintive as she adds, "I do not want to sleep alone." She looks away from him then silently says, "I have…nightmares…sometimes."

Thunderstruck by the admission, Keith stands still for a moment then reaches over to touch her chin. Forcing her to look up at him, he replies, "It would be my pleasure to keep the nightmares at bay." Smiling at her, he pulls away then bends over to pull off his boots. Standing upright, he watches the princess pulling the blankets back. She sits back down on the mattress then slides over with a smile on her face. Returning the smile, he kneels on the mattress then slides in beside her. As Allura pulls the blankets up around them, he wraps his arm around her shoulders. She snuggles against his chest, her hand resting over his heart. Closing his eyes, Keith feels a sense of peace as he holds Allura in his arms and falls asleep a few minutes later.

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Pulling the blankets up over her sleeping son, Kaya sighs as she studies his face. Soft, black lashes rest against blue tinged cheeks as he sleeps. Pushing back a few stray strands of hair, the princess leans down and kisses his cheek before rising. She moves over to the door then glances back once more to ensure Audric still sleeps before entering her bedroom. Her eyes move over the empty bed for a moment as she thinks over the day's events. Making a decision, Kaya walks to her door.

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Sitting on his bed with pillows behind his back, Hunk turns the page of the manual he is reading and stares at the next diagram of Black lion without really seeing it. Coran had given him the manual that morning. He had decided to go through it before giving Pidge a turn to look at it. Glancing at the clock, Hunk decides to call it a night, yawns, and then starts to set the book aside when he hears a knock at the door.

Before he can rise to admit his guest, the door opens and Kaya walks in. She smiles at him as he starts to get to his feet, "Am I disturbing you?"

"No, not at all," answers Hunk as he stares down at her. "Is something wrong?"

"No," Kaya replies quickly then looks away from him.

Hunk reaches down and lifts her chin with his fingers so that he can look into her eyes. He smiles softly at her as he says, "If nothing's wrong, why won't you look at me?"

The princess studies the man in front of her then hesitantly asks, "Have you…been…with someone…sexually…before?"

Feeling his cheeks heating with embarrassment, Hunk clears his throat before simply answering, "Yes."

Kaya nods then pushes gently on his chest, "Can you sit back down on your bed?"

Confused, he does as asked and watches as Kaya stares at him for a moment then begins pacing back and forth in the room. When she stops, she looks back at him and says, "After the…rape…I never thought I would ever want to be with someone like that again."

Kaya moves to stand in front of him, "Ever since I met you, it seems like there is little else I can think of."

Before he can react, she crawls onto his lap and pushes her lips against his. Hunk wraps his arms around her as he returns the kiss. She pulls a hair's breadth away only to whisper to him, "I want you to make love to me Tsuyoshi," then pushes her mouth against his again.

A deep, rumbling groan escapes the big man as he runs his hands up her back then up into her hair as he holds her head so that he can better ravage her mouth. Kaya runs her hands down his chest then grasps the end of his t-shirt to pull it up. They break contact only long enough for her to pull it over his head then they resume kissing.

Releasing her head, Hunk slides his hands down her arms to reach the tie of her robe. He pulls the belt apart then reaches up for her shoulders to push the robe off the princess. As she breaks the kiss to suck in a deep breath, he moves his mouth to her neck. Finding the sensitive skin under her ear, he teases the area with his tongue before moving up to suckle on her earlobe. His hands slide down to cup her bottom then Hunk pulls her against his burgeoning manhood.

Kaya gasps as a mixture of desire and fear go through her. She pulls back, looking down at Hunk wide-eyed. He drops his hands immediately, saying, "I'm sorry Kaya." Her eyes meet his as he continues, "I didn't mean to scare you."

He looks away and starts to rise, trying to force her off his lap. Kaya places a hand against his chest to stop him. As he looks back up at her, she whispers, "I do not wish to stop. But, perhaps we could go a little slower?"

As a tremulous smile crosses her face, Hunk feels his heart swell for the woman in front of him. He wraps his arms around her and pulls her against him. His lips move to her forehead to place a soft kiss as he whispers, "I fell in love with you the moment I saw you."

Breathing in deeply, Kaya replies, "I think I fell in love with you the moment you defended Audric's birth and swore to protect him with your life." She cups his cheeks with her hands, "Do you know how rare of a person you are? To swear to protect a child that you have no blood ties to?"

Her eyes search his intently as she finishes, "To have that kind of love in your heart makes you the rarest of jewels, far more valuable than any that have been brought out of the ground." Leaning forward, she kisses him.

As the kiss ends, Hunk smiles at her then shifts them back onto the bed so that he is leaning against his headboard. At Kaya's questioning look, he holds his arms out wide, "I'm yours to command, my lady."

Kaya returns the smile then from her sitting position across his groin, she leans down and runs her fingers over the hard muscles of his chest. She stops on his stomach, admiring the rippling effect as Hunk arches slightly so that the muscles contract. The tips of her fingers tease the skin again as she asks, "How did you get muscles like these?"

Flushing slightly, Hunk replies, "Well, I've always had a lot of muscles since I work on heavy machinery that requires a lot of lifting. But, you can thank Keith for the way they look now…"

As the princess arches an eyebrow at him, he adds, "He's merciless when it comes to working out…keeps us on a pretty tight routine."

She smiles humorously as she retorts, "Yes, remind me to thank him." Leaning down, Kaya places a kiss in the middle of his chest then slides over to pull one of his nipples into her mouth. She hears Hunk's gasp and once again feels his hardened manhood pressing against her. Instead of fear, she feels a sense of empowerment as she continues to suck on his nipple then grinds her hips against him.

Kaya feels his hands move into her hair, holding her head to his chest as Hunk groans loudly while mumbling, "Again…"

Obliging him, she repeats the movement as she kisses her way over to the other side of his chest to pay attention to the other nipple. A moment later, his hands tighten in her hair as she starts to work her way down, placing light kisses on his taut stomach as she goes. Kaya sits back up, this time farther down his hips and looks down at his groin. Hunk's hardened manhood is clearly visible against his pajama bottoms and the sight of it gives her a small thrill.

Her fingers are steady as she reaches down to untie the drawstring. Pull it loose, she pulls down the sides of his bottoms as Hunk lifts his hips to help her. As his manhood becomes visible, Kaya feels the tingling sensation between her own legs explode. The need to feel Hunk within her becomes almost unbearable. Looking back into his dark chocolate eyes, she pulls her nightgown up over her head, revealing her own nudity.

Taking Hunk's hand within hers, Kaya pulls it up and covers her breast. The rough surface of his hand teasing the skin causes her nipple to harden. As he cups her breast, gently squeezing the swollen orb, she leans forward to kiss him.

Kaya deepens the kiss as she reaches down to caress him. He bucks his hips at her as she grasps his shaft then groans against her mouth. She cannot help the smile that slips across her face as she runs her fingers up and down along the hardened shaft, enjoying the silky feeling of him. Pulling away from him again, she looks down as she continues to stroke him. A slight shiver of delight goes through her at the thought of having him inside of her.

"God…Kaya…I can't take much more!"

Her head comes up sharply at the plaintive tone to his voice. Hunk's eyes are shut tight as he grips the blankets next to him in his fists. Leaning forward, she presses her lips against his as she lifts her hips and guides him into her. A frisson of fear envelopes her as she feels the tip of his penis at her entrance. Summoning up her courage, Kaya sits down, embedding him within her.

She listens to Hunk's groan of pleasure as his hands cup the cheeks of her backside and he leans forward to place kisses along her collarbone. Wrapping her arms around his neck, Kaya closes her eyes and simply enjoys the feeling of Hunk within her. She can feel each beating pulse of his manhood from within.

Hunk's hands pulling on her hips in a demanding way yanks her attention back to him as he bends his head down to suckle on her nipple. Her head falls back and her fingers move into his hair as he bucks his hips against her. Straightening, she starts to move against him. The movements are erratic at first, but Hunk pushes and pulls on her hips, helping her to set a rhythm. Soon, they are moving together in unison.

Releasing her nipple, Hunk lifts his head to capture Kaya's lips, his tongue entering her mouth. They war for control of the kiss as they continue to move together for several long minutes. Kaya moves her hands to grip his shoulders as she increases the speed of her movements. The sensations with each withdrawal and push of his manhood back into her slowly starts building to a crest as she breaks the kiss to cry out, "I need more!"

Hunk flips them over in the bed, taking control of their lovemaking to start pumping into her at his own rapid pace. Kaya arches her back as she wraps her legs around his hips so that she can pull herself up to meet each slamming thrust of his hips. Hitting the top of the crest, she screams out, "Tsuyoshi!" as she comes hard.

She feels Hunk pause in his thrusting as she slowly comes down from her orgasm. Opening her eyes, Kaya smiles up at him as he leans down to kiss her lips softly then begins thrusting into her again. The continuing pleasure is almost overwhelming as he swivels his hips a final time and pushes in hard. Moaning softly, she feels him empty into her. His weight slowly falls onto her and Kaya smiles to herself as she listens to him breathing heavily as his face comes to rest next to her neck.

A moment later, he mumbles, "Sorry, I'm too heavy for you," then he pulls them back over in the bed once more so that she lies on top of him. She feels his hand in her hair as he strokes the long length while asking, "Are you all right?"

Lifting her head, Kaya smiles at him as she replies, "I am fine." She moves her hand to his face to stroke his cheek as she adds, "Thank you."

His eyes twinkle with humor as he retorts, "No, thank you," then pulls her up along his body so that he can kiss her again. Kaya sighs in contentment as she kisses the man she knows will love her until the day she dies.

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Slipping on his pajama bottoms, Sven ties the knot at his waist then walks across the room bare-chested toward his bed. He winces as he tries to pick up the book on the nightstand with his bad arm then reaches over with his left instead. Picking it up, he opens it, removes the bookmark as he sits down on the bed. He begins to read then stops when he hears a knock at his door. Setting the book aside, Sven rises and walks over to the door.

Opening it, he is surprised to find Princess Romelle dressed in a bathrobe, her bare feet sticking out as she stands in front of him. She pulls on a lock of her hair as she says, "Can I come in?"

Nodding, Sven takes a step back and watches the Polluxian princess walk in then stop. Her gaze lingers on the bed for a moment then she turns to face him. She takes in his attire then asks, "Did I wake you?"

Shaking his head, he replies, "I was just reading a bit before I sleep." Sven studies her closely as he asks, "Is something wrong Romelle?"

"No," she answers quickly then sighs. Twisting her hair, she takes a step closer to him as she asks, "What did Queen Arielle mean when she said we are now mated?"

Sighing, Sven reaches out to touch her cheek, "Don't worry Romelle, I would not expect you to honor that…"

"You do not want me?" she interrupts him, her eyes suddenly filled with pain and tears. "Is it because Lotor…"

Pulling her toward him, Sven hugs her closely as he whispers into her ear, "Never think I don't want you Romelle. I do, with every breath that leaves my body." She relaxes against him, her hands moving around his shoulders as she returns the hug.

A sound of pain escapes him and Romelle quickly pulls away, "Did I hurt you?"

Sven manages a small smile while trying to push away the pain, "The shoulder isn't fully healed yet. It doesn't take much for it to hurt." At the dismayed expression on Romelle's face, he cups her cheek, "I am fine."

Nodding, the princess takes a step closer to him and lays her head against his chest while wrapping her arms loosely around his waist. Sven holds her close to him with his good arm then kisses the side of her head before whispering, "What do you want Romelle?"

Pulling away from him, she looks up into his eyes sincerely as she replies, "You."

A bright smile crosses Sven's face as he informs her, "You have me, my love. I was yours from the moment our eyes first met."

Romelle returns the smile then leans up on her toes to kiss him. Dipping his head, he returns the embrace, keeping it soft until she pushes her tongue into his mouth. A groan escapes him as Sven wars with her for control of the kiss then gasps when her hand drifts down his chest and into the waistband of his pajama bottoms, cupping him. He hardens instantly then groans, "God love…what you do to me…"

His head dips down to kiss her anew, his tongue pushing into her mouth as his hand drifts down to the tie of her robe. Sven pushes it open the lifts his hand up to cup her breast through her thin nightgown. She gasps then stiffens in his arms. Breaking the kiss, he finds fear in her eyes as she pulls away from him quickly then cries, "No…"

Stepping up behind her, Sven places a hand on her shoulder as he whispers her name. He can feel her stiffen under his hand again as he states, "I won't hurt you Romelle. Not now…not ever."

She turns back to face him, tears running down her face as she whispers, "I saw…his face…when you touched me." Sven pulls her to him and holds her in his arms as she cries, "I want to be…with you…but when you touched me…all I could see….was him." Stopping, Romelle pushes her face into his chest as she sobs. It takes several long minutes before she calms down and Sven whispers to her, "We will be together Romelle. It might take a long time before you feel comfortable with me and forget him, but you will forget him." As she looks up into his face, he wipes the tears from her cheeks as he finishes, "I promise you."

Romelle nods to him then settles her head against his chest once more. Sighing in content, Sven whispers to her, "Stay with me tonight. I want to hold you." He presses his lips against her forehead when she responds, "Yes…"

Releasing her, they make their way to the bed and lie down together. As the princess curls into his chest, Sven reaches over and turns off the lamp beside the bed. He feels her nuzzling against his chest as he whispers, "I love you Romelle." Her hand gently rubs the area near his heart as she replies, "I love you too." Smiling, Sven tightens his hold on her then closes his eyes and falls asleep.

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Devika sits with her arms crossed and her nose up in the air as she tries to ignore her mother. Queen Arielle counts to ten again as she tries to control her temper. Glaring at her daughter, she continues the argument they have been having for the last hour, "I am not saying that you cannot be around him, but Devika, you are too young to be his wife!"

"But Darrell is my mate, you said so!" retorts Devika as she turns around to face her mother once more. Seeing the determined expression on her face, the princess sighs as she moves over to sit down on her mother's bed.

Taking a deep breath, Arielle sits down beside her daughter, "Your father would never have let you marry someone at fourteen. At the earliest, you would have wed at sixteen…I wanted you to wait at least until you became eighteen."

"Father gave me to him already, Mother."

"I know…I know," sighs Arielle tiredly. Her eyes move over her daughter and she states, "I think the one thing you inherited from your father was his stubborn streak." When Devika only smiles at her in return, the queen gives in, "Very well. But I want your promise, no sexual relations until you reach sixteen and no babies until you are at least eighteen."

Knowing she has won, Devika leans over to place a kiss on her mother's cheek, "I love you Mother."

Snorting, Arielle retorts, "Only when you get your way…"

Resisting the urge to giggle, Devika rises and quickly walks out of the room. Arielle watches her go and whispers, "I hope you know what you are doing Harold." Feeling a tingling sensation, she looks down to find the mark on her hand glowing lightly for a moment before the skin returns to normal. A sad smile crosses her face as tears form in her eyes and she mumbles, "I still love you too…"

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Walking down the hallway, Devika reaches Pidge's door and knocks lightly. She hears a muffled voice saying, "One moment…" then waits until the door opens. A sleepy looking Pidge stands before her, but upon realizing the identity of his visitor, he instantly becomes awake, "Devika…is something wrong? Your mother!"

Reaching out with her hand, the youngest princess places two fingers against his lips to silence him, "Everything is fine."

Pidge looks at her confused then pulls back so her hand drops away, "Why are you here then?" He glances down at the watch he always wears, "It's late…"

"I wanted to be with my husband," Devika replies then pushes past him to walk into his room.

His jaw drops as he turns to face her, "Husband?"

Holding up her hand with the mark, she informs him, "You heard my mother back in the cavern. That is what this means…you are my husband." Rushing him, Devika wraps her arms around him in a hug, her cheek resting against his chest.

Pidge pulls her away from him, "Devika…it isn't that I don't want…" He stops as he tries to think of a way not to hurt her feelings.

"You think I am too young…"

Looking down into her face to find a perfectly shaped eyebrow arched at him in question, she finishes by informing him, "I am not."

"Yes, you are." Pidge argues, "On Earth, I would be brought up on charges for even touching you."

"This is not Earth," she logically informs him then crosses her arms as she studies him closely. Finally, Devika asks, "Do you not want me?"

"It isn't that…"

"Then what is the problem?" she interrupts him again.

Taking a deep breath in and slowly letting it out, Pidge replies, "You are only fourteen, it is too young of an age for…marriage…and the…stuff…that goes with it."

"You mean sex," Devika states starchily.

Flushing crimson, Pidge nods his head in reply as he looks away. He listens to her giggle and looks back as she says around her laughter, "You are worse than my mother. At least she could look me in the eye when we talked about it."

"You talked about this with your mother? And she still let you come to me?" His face flushes even brighter with color at the thought of Devika discussing have sex with him with her mother.

"Yes, and she was as boring about it as you are. I had to agree to wait until I am sixteen to have sex with you," she informs him as she continues smiling at his embarrassment.

Relief goes through Pidge and a bit of disappointment at the same time. Confused by the feelings, he asks, "Then what are you doing here?"

Devika shrugs as she replies, "I wanted to be with you." Moving closer, she lays her head against his chest once more as she adds, "I feel safer with you."

A deep feeling of satisfaction goes through him at the thought of her wanting to be near him. Wrapping his arms around her to hold her close, Pidge sighs, "I guess it won't hurt to sleep in the same bed…since technically you are my wife."

She pulls her head back to smile up at him and Pidge feels a tightening in his chest. He guides her over to the bed and lies down, waits until she is beside him to pull the blankets around them then reaches over to turn off the light. As she rests her head against his shoulder, Pidge wraps his arm around her back to hold her close and says, "Goodnight Devika."

Sighing contentedly, the youngest princess whispers, "Goodnight Darrell," and quickly falls asleep.


	36. Chapter 36

I make no claims to Voltron or any WEP characters.

Origins: A Legend Unfolds: Chapter 36

Waking the next morning, Keith opens his eyes to find the rest of the bed empty. Sitting up abruptly, he looks around then calls out, "Allura?" The door to the bathroom opens a moment later and the princess walks out with only a towel wrapped around her. She smiles at him, "Morning." Her damp, honey-blonde hair hangs about her as she walks over to the bed with a brush in her hand, "I woke early and decided to take my bath."

She sits down on the mattress next to him then notes the expression on his face, "Have I offended your sense of modesty again? I am covered."

His hardened manhood argues silently with her by throbbing with need as he looks her over and he thinks, _'Barely…'_ The towel clings to her breasts and drifts down to the middle of her thighs. With her long, shapely legs bent modestly at the knee, she leans back on one arm. Looking back into her eyes, Keith finds them full of amusement at his expense. She smiles broadly at him, "I could locate my robe I suppose…"

Keith shakes his head at her, part of him enjoying the sight of her scantily clad body, part of him calling himself an idiot to allow her to continue torturing him like that. Clearing his throat, he changes the subject, "Did you sleep well?"

Her smile grows as she replies, "Very well, thank you." She reaches out to run a hand down his arm, "No nightmares to disrupt my sleep with my knight keeping them away."

He smiles at her softly in return then pulls her left hand toward him, placing their palms together so their marks light up. Keith begins to feel a deep need pulsing through him, urging him to yank her into his arms and kiss her until they both forget their other responsibilities. Reluctantly, he releases her hand and sits back against the headboard.

Sensing his change of mood, Allura studies his eyes closely then glances down to find his arousal visible against his pants. Looking back up at him, she bluntly asks, "Do you wish to have intercourse with me?"

A short, barking laugh escapes him as Keith shifts his leg to hide the evidence of his arousal. He looks away from her, unable to hold her steady gaze. Finally, he quietly inquires, "Are you always this direct?"

Allura sighs as she says, "I have insulted your sense of modesty again…"

"No," Keith replies as he looks up at her again, "I guess in my mind a princess should be more demure." He manages to smile at her, "I should know better than that after all we've been through so far. You are nothing like the story book princesses I read about as a child."

She shakes her head at him as she asks, "What stories?"

"Doesn't matter," Keith informs her, "That is just my stupid sense of ethics, old-fashioned ideas and I guess I am the prude you once accused me of being." He reaches out and pulls her toward him, his hand brushing her hair away from her face. Leaning into her, he places a quick kiss on her lips then immediately releases her.

Allura touches her tingling lips with her fingertips then asks again, "Do you wish to have intercourse with me?" She smiles brightly at him as he laughs while shaking his head at her. Reaching up with her hand, the princess cups his cheek as she informs him, "We could you know. According to Arusian law, we are considered married."

"No," he shakes his head at her, "Allura, this was pushed on you. I won't hold you to it if you don't want this..."

She interrupts him by pressing her lips against his. Sliding forward, she forces him to lower his leg as she climbs onto his lap, straddling him. Breaking the kiss, Allura gazes into his eyes as she simply states, "I want you."

"Even though I'm a bit of a prude?" he questions in a teasing voice.

Laughter bubbles out of Allura as she cups his cheeks, "Yes, even though you are a prude, Keith Kogane, I want to be your wife." She forces him to lower his head as she kisses his forehead, moves down to place one on his nose then finally kisses him softly on the lips. Reaching up, Allura loosens her towel, allowing it to fall away, revealing her breasts.

Pulling back from him so that he can see, the princess smiles softly as she asks, "Do you want me?"

His mouth had gone dry the moment she had revealed her breasts to him, leaving Keith unable to speak for a moment. The urge to grab her, flip her onto her back and ravage her goes through him in a lightning fast impulse. Resisting it, Keith pulls the towel back up around her, covering her. He smiles at the look of disappointment on her face then replies, "I do, more than you can know."

The disappointment clears, leaving behind a look of confusion as she asks, "Then why? You told me you were not a monk."

He laughs again as he remembers their prior conversation. "Because, I'm an old fashioned prude who thinks that as a princess, you should be a virgin on our wedding night Allura," Keith enlightens her with a bright smile on his face. Leaning forward, he kisses her lightly once more then pushes her off his lap.

"But we are married," the princess says, still confused.

Shaking his head, Keith replies, "Not to me, we aren't. I don't know what Arusian wedding traditions are, but on Earth, a man and woman aren't considered married until they have gone through a ceremony on a day of their choosing." He reaches out to touch her cheek, "I want that special day, with you."

Allura sighs in a defeated way as she retorts, "You are a strange man Keith Kogane."

Laughter erupts out of Keith as he hugs the princess close to him and whispers into her ear, "But I am yours…" then pulls away from her entirely. As he tugs his boots on, Allura asks, "Where are you going?"

He smiles at her as he answers, "To my room, before I'm caught leaving yours and ruin your position with the other men of Storm Kingdom." Keith leans over the bed to kiss her once more then turns around and leaves the room. Allura sighs as the door closes behind him then rises to make her way over to her closet to dress for the day.

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The fragrant scent of cinnamon and coffee fills his senses as Lance opens his eyes. He finds a tray with sticky buns and a carafe next to him on the bed, but the room is otherwise empty. Sitting up, he looks around the room as he calls out, "Maia?"

Hearing no answer, he sighs then turns his attention to the waiting tray. Noticing a note, Lance picks it up to read, "Dealing with a few issues from my absence, back soon." Setting it aside, he helps himself to a sticky bun and pours himself a cup of coffee. Finishing fifteen minutes later, Lance stands and makes his way to Maia's bathroom.

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Hearing a rumbling sound underneath her ear, Kaya opens her eyes to find herself stretched out alongside Hunk. With her body pressed tight against his with his arm holding her in place, she can feel every breath he takes. Smiling to herself, Kaya lifts her head to study him. His mouth is slightly open as he snores quietly, his face totally relaxed. Glancing at the clock, she sighs as she thinks, _'I must return to my room before Audric awakens.'_

Shifting upward, she runs her fingers along Hunk's cheek. The snoring stops, but his eyes remain closed as she whispers his name. He makes a grunting sound and his arm tightens around her, but he makes no other movement. Feeling a little exasperated, Kaya presses her lips to his then says loudly, "Wake up Tsuyoshi!"

"I'm up…I'm up…" groans Hunk as he suddenly sits up, leaving Kaya to fall away to the side of the bed, and then looks around groggily. "Kaya?"

She laughs at the expression on his face, "You are harder to wake up than Audric!"

Finally waking up and remembering the events of the night before, Hunk smiles at her, "Sorry. I've always been a deep sleeper."

Standing up, Kaya picks up her nightgown from beside the bed and pulls it over her head. Turning back to Hunk, she notes the disappointed look on his face and smiles to herself as she bends to pick up her robe. She asks, "I thought military men always slept lightly so they can react to an alarm?"

"I've programmed myself to jump at the sound of alarms, but still have problems when someone yells at me to wake up," explains Hunk. He watches her tie the belt on her robe then neutrally asks, "Leaving so soon?"

Kaya looks back at him to find the blankets tented at his waist, evidence of his morning arousal. Feeling a little disappointed that she cannot take advantage of it, she explains, "I need to be in my room when Audric awakens."

Nodding in understanding, Hunk hedges a little as he asks, "What…what are we going to tell him…about us?" He throws back the blankets and stands, causing Kaya's mouth to go dry at the sight of his nude, well-muscled body and throbbing erection.

Forcing herself to look back up into his face, she states, "That we are now mated."

Smiling, Hunk inquires, "When?" as he moves forward and gathers her into his arms. "I don't want to sneak around and hope he doesn't catch us."

Kaya smiles as she runs her hand up his chest and to his cheek, "How about as soon as he awakens?"

"Guess I better grab a cold shower and dress then," replies Hunk as he glances down at himself.

Laughter bubbles out of Kaya as she retorts, "You are not the only one that needs a shower. I do not exactly smell like a flower right now."

Pulling her hard against his body so that she feels his erection against her hip, Hunk says, "No, you smell like a woman who has spent the night making love."

Rising up on her toes, Kaya kisses his cheek then pulls away from him to move to the door. She glances back with a smile on her face as she instructs, "Hurry Tsuyoshi, we both need to be showered and dressed if we want to tell him together."

At his nod, she turns around and leaves the room. Hunk sighs as he glances down at his erection then groans as he heads for the bathroom.

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Finished dressing for the day, Queen Arielle opens the door to room to find the commander on the other side, hand raised in the air, poised to knock. He drops it quickly as he blushes then quickly greets her, "Good morning, Queen Arielle."

She nods to him as he steps back to allow her through the doorway then asks, "What can I help you with Commander?"

"I need to understand these marks," Keith starts to explain as he holds his hand up to show her the one on the back of his, "and how it corresponds with the one on Allura. Coran could give me a text book answer, but I want to hear it from someone who has one."

"Walk with me," she replies as she turns to move down the hallway.

Keith falls into step with her then holds out his arm for her to take. She smiles up at him as she grasps his elbow and states, "Normally it is considered quite rude to speak of these private kinds of things. However, since you are not Arusian and have no knowledge of our etiquette, I shall make an exception. The marks only appear on Arusian kings and their queens."

Staring straight ahead now as she slowly walks, Arielle sighs, "Normally, a king will pass the mark, along with the key to his lion, onto his son when it comes time for him to step down. In the case of death, the mark will appear on the new king's hand once he takes the lion key in hand."

"That is how I got mine," interjects Keith, "It was like a type of energy went through me and next thing I knew, I had this mark."

"The mark is the spiritual link between you and the lion," explains the queen. When Keith gives her a questioning look, she expounds, "The legend goes that when Voltron was created, the magical spirits of Arus' natural elements were integrated within the lions. The lions are part of Arus. If the planet were to die, so would the lions. They gain their power from the source to which they are most related. For example, Black lion's power source is lightning."

At Keith's nod, she continues, "The bond between pilot and lion is something even I do not understand fully since I only know what I learned from Harold. However, he once told me the lion senses the emotions of the pilot and reacts to it. I do not know what the reaction was, but that is what he told me."

"What of the mark on Allura's hand?" inquires Keith, getting to the portion that interests him more.

She smiles to herself then stops walking to face him. Her expression turns serious as Arielle responds, "It created a bond between the two of you. I am sure you felt its effect immediately after it happened. Whatever you may have felt for her before she received the mark, will be now be amplified. If you felt attraction, it will turn to love. Love, turns to passionate love. After a time, it will be like your souls are mated and the thought of living without your mate becomes intolerable."

Her eyes turn sad as she whispers, "It almost killed me when Harold was taken from me. Only the needs of our children kept me from joining him. A day does not go by that I do not think of him. While our son is his image, Devika is his twin in thought and action. She has his personality and reminds me of him every time she speaks."

Nodding sympathetically, Keith asks, "What of the bond? How long does it last? Can it be broken?"

"To my knowledge, no one has ever tried to break the bond," the queen replies as she turns to start walking again. She turns her head enough to glance at him as she adds, "It will last for the rest of your lives. While you cannot hear her thoughts, after a time, you will be able to sense her emotions even when not in the same room. However, that does not occur until after you have been together for quite some time and the bond has become very strong."

Approaching the doors to the control room, Keith pauses in his step to look at her, "Thank you for the information."

"You are welcome Commander Kogane. I am hoping all of you will be happy."

Keith sighs as he rubs the back of his neck, "Yeah, me too. This wasn't quite what I thought would happen when we were sent here."

Smiling knowingly, Arielle replies, "Fate will always have her way Commander."

"So I'm discovering…" mutters Keith as he leads her the rest of the way into the control room.

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Walking down the hallway, Maia pauses several feet from her room then forces herself to move forward again. Her mind focuses on the image of the way Lance looked while sleeping that morning. His long eyelashes had rested against his cheeks, his face relaxed in sleep to show his handsomeness to the fullest extent. Her eyes had rest on his lips even as she had pushed his hair out of his face.

It had taken all her will to climb out of the bed carefully so not to awaken him. When she had returned with the tray, she had half hoped he would be awake, half wanted him to be still asleep to delay facing him. Maia sighs as she leans her head against the door, _'Why does he make me feel this way? I no longer know what I want…and it used to be so clear.'_ Shaking away the thoughts, she pushes the button and walks through the door when it opens.

Finding the room empty, Maia walks over to the bathroom door, listening to the shower running within. She makes her way back to the bed and looks at the tray to find a single bun left. She moves the tray to the floor then picks up the bun. Nibbling on it, Maia sits down on the bed to wait.

She just finishes the bun when the door to the bathroom opens and Lance strides out with only a towel around his waist and another one around his shoulders as he towels his hair dry. He smiles broadly at her as he approaches the bed, "Good morning, Princess."

Maia arches an eyebrow at him for the use of her title. His smile grows as he reaches down to touch her face, wiping the crumbs from the corner of her lip, "You missed a little…"

Pulling away, the princess lies back on the mattress and stares up at him expectantly. Lance arches his eyebrow at her in question then watches her pat the bed next to her. Nodding, he lies down beside her then feels her curl into him, her cheek on his chest as she sighs in content. As he moves his arm around her and holds her close to him, Maia quietly says, "I did not want to rise this morning."

"So why did you?" Lance asks as he turns his head to kiss her forehead while he runs a hand up and down her back.

"Because I am the princess of Fire Kingdom and the people here are my responsibility," she answers, her tone still quiet. Maia moves her fingers over his bare, muscular chest until she reaches his nipple. Using the tip of her finger, she teases the bud until it grows hard and Lance lets out a groan, "Keep that up and I'm going to need another shower…a cold one!"

Maia looks down to find the towel tented around his hips. Coming to a decision, she smiles as she replies, "Or, there is another alternative."

"What?" he asks, his eyes intense, as she tilts her head up to look at him.

Leaning up, Maia kisses him softly as her hand drifts down his chest and loosens the towel. A deep moan escapes Lance when she palms him, running her fingertips over his smooth hardness. She breaks the kiss as she whispers against his lips, "I have dreamed of you…"

Lance stares into her emerald eyes as he asks, "When? I didn't think you liked me much when we first met."

"No, I did not, but you grew on me," the princess replies as she sits up to straddle him. Her fingers move over his chest again as she adds, "It was more a prophesy…one that I did not want originally."

"And now?" he asks as he stills beneath her.

Leaning down, Maia kisses him lightly once more then deepens the kiss. She hears a groan escape Lance then gasps against his mouth as he flips them over in the bed. He takes charge of the kiss, sucking on her bottom lip then invading her mouth again as his hand moves up to cup her breast through her shirt.

Lance listens to the quiet noises escaping Maia as he grinds his hips against her so she feels the extent of his hardness as he moves his lips to her neck. While nuzzling the soft skin near her ear, he releases her breast to work on the buttons of her shirt. He yanks back the sides a moment later then slides his hand up her stomach to cup her breast once more over her bra. Using his teeth to gently nip the skin near her ear to the sound of her gasp, Lance licks the wound then starts kissing his way down her neck then onto her chest.

Reaching the enclosure for the bra, he quickly undoes it then pushes the cups of the bra aside to stare at her. Firm, full breasts with rosy distended nipples lay before him. Lance glances up to find Maia staring at him intently with her emerald gaze. He smiles while whispering, "Lovely…" then dips his head down to place a kiss on one nipple. A quiet mewing sound escapes the princess' throat as Lance licks then blows lightly on the nipple. He feels a hard tug on his hair and looks up to find Maia's head tilted back as she whimpers, "More…"

"As you wish my lady," Lance answers then turns back to the breast to pull the nipple fully into his mouth. He sucks hard on the firm nub and feels more tugging on his hair even as she thrusts her pelvis up into him in need. Smiling, he turns his head to give the other breast equal attention. As he suckles on the nipple, Lance hears his comm. unit going off and groans.

Releasing her breast, he pushes himself away from Maia to grab the unit out of his jacket pocket. Flipping the switch, he replies, "McClain…"

"Lance, what the hell are you doing?" Keith asks in a belligerent tone, "You need to get back here pronto so we can get those lions up in the air."

Turning back to face the princess, he finds her lying on her side, leaning on her elbow with her hand holding up her head as she studies him. Her magnificent red hair surrounds her, the ends curling around her still exposed breasts. Resisting the urge to tell his commanding officer to go screw himself, Lance replies, "Sorry Commander, I overslept. I'll be there soon." Flipping the unit off before Keith can retort, he pushes it back into his jacket pocket then walks back over to the bed. Smiling apologetically, Lance says, "I better get moving…"

Maia sits up in the bed and reaches out with her hand. She slides it down his chest and belly only to have him grab it before she can move lower. Looking up into his face, she finds his gaze intense as he raises her hand to gently kiss the back of it then turns it over. He nips then kisses her palm as he lowers himself to the bed to kiss her.

He releases her bottom lip a moment later and whispers against them, "I'd rather stay…"

Kissing him softly in return, Maia replies, "So stay…"

Lance sighs regretfully as he pulls back, "Just as you have responsibilities to your people as princess, I have them as a soldier. I must return to Storm Kingdom in Red lion."

Disappointed, Maia nods to him as she pulls away. She cries out a moment later as she is yanked back against Lance's chest and thoroughly kissed once more. When he breaks away, he whispers, "I'll make this up to you Maia…tonight." Lance kisses her hard once more then rises from the bed.

Maia pulls the edges of her shirt around her as she watches him pick up his uniform from the chair he left it on and dress. A short sigh of disappointment escapes her when he pulls his pants up, covering his well-muscled derriere. He glances back at her with a sly smile on his face then turns back to finish dressing. Picking up his boots, Lance moves back to the bed and sits on it while pulling them on.

He groans as he sits back up, feeling Maia's breasts against his back as she kisses his neck. Turning, he pulls the princess onto his lap as he murmurs, "Minx…" then kisses her hard once more. Pulling back, Lance asks, "What did you do that for?"

"To give you something to think about today," she replies with a sexy little smile on her face.

Groaning, Lance kisses her quick then pulls away entirely. He walks over to the door then pauses to look back at her, "No worry Maia, there is more than one part of me that will be thinking about you all day to today." Blowing a kiss at her, Lance walks out of the room.


	37. Chapter 37

I know the chapter is shorter this week, but I think you will find it worthwhile…

I make no claims to Voltron or any WEP characters.

Origins: A Legend Unfolds: Chapter 37

Standing near the monitors, Keith hears the doors to the control room open and looks over, only to be disappointed when it isn't Allura arriving. His eyes widen in surprise when he sees Pidge walking in instead, hand in hand with Devika, their marks lit up. She is smiling up at him as he says something to her then laughs.

Moving away from the screens, he nods to Devika then glares at Pidge, "I need a word with you."

Pidge smiles reassuringly to Devika then follows Keith across the room to a more private corner. The look on his commander's face isn't reassuring as he angrily states, "Devika is only fourteen, Darrell..."

Holding up his hand to stop the barrage that is coming, Pidge explains, "We've already discussed it and Queen Arielle is in agreement. While we consider ourselves married, we will wait to have relations at least until she is sixteen…which is when a lot of Arusian women are married anyway."

Taking a deep breath, Keith tries to reason with him, "Even at sixteen, on Earth you would be arrested…"

"Stop Keith. I know that, but as my wife so tactfully pointed out last night, this isn't Earth. You must also keep in mind that even though Devika is only fourteen years old in age, mentally, she is older than you are," states Pidge as he crosses his arms, "She's fourteen going on thirty."

"Much like you…" Keith grumbles in agreement, rolling his eyes. He looks over to find the young princess studying them closely, her hands on her hips and an eyebrow arched at him in question. Reminded of the look his aunt on Earth used to give him when she thought he was causing trouble, the commander sighs. Turning back to his friend, he gives in, "Very well, but I want your word Pidge…nothing until she is at least sixteen."

Pidge rolls his eyes at his commanding officer then replies, "Of course…"

"Even then, we will have to turn in an affidavit to Garrison stating your marriage so you don't get brought up on charges…"

"I know. Thanks Keith." Walking away, Pidge returns to Devika.

Keith watches as the young man wraps an arm around her shoulders and speaks to her quietly. The doors to the room open again, revealing Sven and Romelle, followed by Hunk and Kaya, with Audric excitedly talking to Bandor behind them. The couples are animatedly talking to each other as they move across the room. They stop by Pidge and Devika, the younger couple soon joining in the conversation as the boys move to the other side of the room to talk without interference from the adults. Shaking his head at them, Keith starts back for the control center when the doors open a final time and Allura finally walks in.

She smiles up at him then moves over to greet the others before heading toward the control center. Her eyes move over his form in an assessing way, causing Keith to feel his cheeks reddening as she comments, "You look well this morning, Commander."

Clearing his throat, Keith replies, "I am, thanks," then looks down to see a humorous expression on Coran's face as the older man stares straight ahead at the monitors, his mustache twitching. Irritation fills him at the thought of being a joke until he feels Allura move up next to him. Her fingers brush his lightly as she asks, "When are you going out in the lions?"

"We are just waiting for Lance," he answers as he stares down at her. She smiles up at him then looks over at the advisor to greet him, "Good morning, Coran."

"Good morning, Highness. I trust you slept well?"

Keith almost chokes at the question and Allura's eyes twinkle with humor as she responds, "Very well thank you. Better than I have in years."

Coran turns to face them both, an eyebrow lift in question as he asks, "And was the commander the reason for this uninterrupted rest?"

"He was, but not in the way you are thinking." Allura leans down to place a kiss on his cheek as she whispers, "He does not think of us as married yet. So we simply slept in the same bed together, nothing more."

Nodding to her, Coran stares up at the commander to quietly state, "I love this young woman as my own daughter. Do you understand me?"

"I do," Keith replies as he stares down at the older man unblinkingly. "I won't dishonor her."

"No, he will not," adds the princess in a dry, humorless voice, "Even when I asked him to."

Trying hard not to laugh at his ward, Coran clears his throat to say, "When do you intend to consider yourselves married?"

Putting a hand on the princess' shoulder to stop her from answering, Keith replies, "We will sit down and discuss that. I'm not sure what Arusian traditions are…"

"According to Arusian tradition, you are already wed," interrupts the advisor.

"That is what I told him," adds Allura as she runs her fingers along Keith's hand, lightly touching his mark then pulling away before being seen by anyone else.

Ignoring the sudden need to pull her close to him, Keith finishes as if he was not interrupted, "But on Earth, there is a ceremony where we both agree to devote ourselves to each other. I won't consider us married until we go through that together."

Coran nods as he stares up intently at the younger man, "Very well, I will leave it up to you and Allura to make those decisions. However, I wish you to understand, the people of Storm Kingdom know what has happened and already think of you as her husband and soon to be king. Do not take too long or there will be repercussions if the people think you have rejected her."

"I understand," states Keith with a short nod of his head. He turns to look around the room to find the Arusian workers watching them covertly. Sighing as he realizes the enormity of his new situation, Keith looks back at the advisor to ask, "Any sign of Red lion? I spoke to Lance ten minutes ago; he should be up in the air by now."

Turning around in the chair, Coran presses a button then calls out, "Storm Kingdom to Red lion, come in please."

"Red lion, reporting in. I just left Fire Kingdom, will be there in a few minutes."

Keith grabs the microphone from the older man to respond, "Stay in the air, we will join you."

"Roger that."

Turning around to face the remaining men, the commander orders, "Let's get going."

Pidge kisses Devika on the cheek then turns around to run out of the room as Keith walks off the platform to join the others on the floor. They watch the dais rise up into the air. He nods to the remaining men and all three make for their launch chutes. His eyes float up to meet Allura's as he reaches his entrance. He notes the encouraging smile on her face just before he grabs the T-bar and disappears down the chute.

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Running the lion out of the cavern, Keith silently pulls in a deep breath as the blue sky above becomes visible and he pulls back on the controls to lift the lion up into the air. He notes on the rear screen, Green lion flying up behind him and finally calls out, "Report in!"

"I'm coming up to you now," replies Lance and Keith can see the Red lion on the horizon.

"Be there in a minute, Cap," Hunk states followed by Sven, who calls out, "ETA, two minutes."

Keith stops Black lion mid-air and waits. He watches Green lion pull up alongside of him then Red lion. A moment later, Yellow lion joins them. Finally, Blue lion stops just in front and Keith pulls up the other pilots on his video monitor, "Everyone ready to try this again?"

"I was ready the first time we tried it," Lance retorts with a grumpy look on his face and everyone else laughs.

Feeling a smile tugging at his lips as well, Keith calls out, "All right, follow my lead."

Pulling back on the controls, he flies forward then starts to head up into the stratosphere. After ensuring the others are following in the reverse-flying V, he calls out, "Ready to form Voltron, activating interlocks," and hits the button to begin the sequence. He watches the subsystem rise up out of the main control systems and relief fills him as he watches it light up, "Dyno-therms, connecting!"

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Inside Storm Kingdom's control room, everyone can hear the excitement in the commander's voice as he calls out, "Infra-cells up!" Allura glances behind her to find everyone had stopped their work and moved closer to the control center to watch the monitors as the commander finishes, "Mega-thrusters are go!"

As the lions begin changing in form on the screen and locking into place onto the Black lion, Allura whispers, "Go Voltron…"

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Within Black lion, Keith can feel a slight shudder as each lion connects to his. His excitement grows as he feels Black lion's head adjust and suddenly he is looking out of Voltron's eyes as each of the lion heads roar. The lights on the control panel flash, showing sequence completion. Twisting the controls, he flips the robot in the air and listens as his men yell, "Hey!"

Leveling out the robot, Keith calls out in victory, "We have Voltron!"

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The control room within Storm Kingdom erupts with cries and laughter. Allura bends down to hug her advisor then turns to face the rest of the room. Queen Arielle stands beside her daughter, hugging the girl close to her as tears run out of her eyes. Next to her, Kaya stands with a hand on Audric's shoulder, her eyes over bright with unshed tears. Romelle had moved over by Bandor, brother and sister staring up at the monitors in awe at the robot now flying around the Arusian sky.

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Within Fire Kingdom, a similar celebration is taking place in the control room as Maia stands beside her commander and both stare up at the monitor excitedly. Loud voices fill the room as different people enter, look at the screen for a moment then run back out to report the happenings to other members of the kingdom. Maia smiles as she thinks, _'It is going to happen…Arus will be free to live again.'_

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Allura watches as the monitor lights up with calls from Wind and Earth Kingdoms, and listens to Coran confirm that Voltron once again lives. Her eyes move back to the screen showing Keith's image from within the robot as he calls out directions to the others.

"Ok guys, we are going to run through every system, check every weapon. I want us to know how this machine works inside and out." His eyes gleam with determination on the screen as he finishes, "When Doom comes next time, we will be prepared for them."

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Shuffling her way down the long, dark corridor, Haggar's eyes flash yellow off the little light given off by torches as she approaches the cavern's interior. The sound of Prince Lotor's voice echoes in the small space as he continues yelling at someone. Reaching the entrance to the cavern, she spies two men down on their knees in front of the Doom prince as he continues to blast them, "You idiots! You could have ruined everything!"

"Highness, we couldn't help it. We had to silence the guards," mumbles one of the men, his head bent down in deference.

"But you did not have to leave the bodies behind to be found, you moron!" retorts the prince as he looks up to find the old witch nearing him.

His eyes are narrowed with his irritation as he informs her, "Security at the compounds has likely been increased, thanks to these two fools. They had to kill two guards who came upon them in Fire Kingdom."

Her malevolent gaze moves back over the two guards to find them flinching and edging backward on their knees. She tilts her head to the side as if listening to something no one else can hear. The smaller of the men cowers, lowering himself to the floor and putting his hands up to protect his head, as if expecting a blow. Snorting in derision, Haggar looks back at the prince, "It matters naught. They will do as they have been instructed or they will answer to me."

"And if there are extra guards impeding us?" asks the prince cautiously, his eyes studying her closely.

A malicious smile crosses Haggar's face, "They die…"

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Unable to stop from enjoying himself, Keith continues through the weapon controls console that became when available after forming Voltron. They had spent the last few hours discovering what weapons each button corresponds to and documenting it. His eyes move over the console, checking the systems until his eyes light a button he had missed. Set off to the far side, the button sits in the middle of a small-multicolored five-point star. "Hey guys, I missed a button."

"Well, hit it already!"

Smiling at the eager sound of Lance's voice, the commander pushes it. A second shoulder harness comes up out of the back of his seat and folds over his chest. Next, he hears a humming sound as if the robot is powering up. He feels a force shoving him back in his chair and hears his men yelling as he watches the monitor in amazement as the lion heads detach and fly forward on their own.

Suddenly, he hears laughter from the normally logical Pidge, who sounds like the teenager he is as he calls out, "This is **SUPER **cool!"

Nodding his head in agreement, Keith watches the lion heads circle around then return to Voltron before reattaching. Sven's voice interrupts his thoughts as he states, "That could come in handy during a robeast attack."

"Very much so," agrees the commander, "that attack could take out one of those robeasts entirely or at least damage it enough so that we can finish it off."

"Um, Commander, not that I'm complaining or anything, but can we take a break?"

Flipping the screen so that he can look at the private, Keith asks, "What's up Hunk?"

A loud rumbling sound echoes over the speakers as the big man replies, "It's way past lunch time…"

The other men break out laughing as the commander feels a bright smile crossing his face. Glancing at his watch, he is amazed to find that not only have they worked the entire morning away, but they are well into the afternoon and it is almost time for dinner. Clearing his throat, he agrees, "I think we've earned our next meal. Let's deactivate and head back for the compound."

At the cheers of his men, Keith hits the buttons to start the deactivation sequence, "See you guys in the dining room."

"Last one in is a rotten egg!"

"Lance, if anyone but Hunk is the last one, there won't be any food left!" Sven interjects with a laugh.

"HEY!"

Laughing at the sound of indignation coming from Hunk, Keith breaks up the fight to order, "After dinner, let's check in with each kingdom then meet in the conference room. I want to go over what we've learned today and how we want to carry that information forward."

Ignoring the groans coming from Lance, he pulls back on his controls and heads for the tunnel to land his lion.


	38. Chapter 38

Lance4Ever…Raelee514…here is the chapter you two have been waiting for. Enjoy!

I make no claims to Voltron or any WEP characters.

Origins: A Legend Unfolds: Chapter 38

Several hours later, Lance sighs as he listens to the commander finishing the meeting. He glances at the clock on the wall in irritation. Resisting the urge to tell Keith to shut up and let them go, he thinks, _'Please let Maia still be waiting for me and not mad as hell because I'm not there yet…'_

His attention goes back to the meeting as Keith wraps it up, "Ok, that's it…"

Quickly standing up, Lance starts for the door then pauses when he hears, "One moment Lance…"

Swearing under his breath, he turns back as Keith curiously asks, "I believe you have duty in a few minutes. I wanted to talk to you about the north quadrant."

Lance shakes his head at him, "I swapped with Hunk, he's taking my shift tonight. I've got to get going…" He starts for the door again only to hear, "Where are you going?"

Groaning as he turns back to face his commanding officer, Lance finds Keith standing beside the conference table with his arms crossed and an expectant look on his face. Taking a deep breath, the lieutenant responds, "Fire Kingdom. I made a promise to Maia this morning."

"Lance, we have a responsibility…"

"I know that, Keith," Lance interjects as he pleads his case, "But I love the woman and made a promise to her. If I break it, she will think I'm just like every other man that's been in her life…unreliable."

Keith sighs then nods in understanding, "All right, go. But you better be back here in time for our workout at 0600."

"I will be Keith…thanks!" He dashes out the door before Keith can stop him again.

A smile twitches on the commander's lips as he watches the door close. Glancing up at the time, he sighs, "I better get to bed as well. There's too much to do tomorrow." Yawning at the thought, Keith makes his way out of the room.

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Running through the tunnel, Lance quickly makes his way to the lion cavern then jumps up into Red lion. Placing the key in the lock, he grabs onto the controls and quickly makes his way out of the cave. Flying through the night sky, he pauses to admire the full twin moons of Arus then pushes the lion as fast as it can go to get to Fire Kingdom. He arrives less than ten minutes later and dives the lion into the entrance for its cavern. Running the lion down the tunnel to its bay, he arrives to find the few men in charge of the area waiting for him. He pulls the key out of the slot then opens the hatch to jump out. Palmer, the one in charge of Red lion's upkeep, steps forward, "Princess Maia stated you were returning. But we expected you hours ago."

"I know, got caught up in a last minute meeting," Lance replies then glances around at the men, "Do you know where the princess is now?"

The man shakes his head then moves over to the lion. Swearing softly, the lieutenant makes his way to the entrance then runs down the tunnels. He enters the compound for Fire Kingdom and races through the hallways until he reaches Maia's bedroom. Lance knocks on the door gently then swears when there is no response. Trying the button for the door, he is pleasantly surprised when it opens. Walking into the room, he finds the lights dimmed and the remains of a dinner on the table in the corner with one set of dishes unused.

Cursing mentally, he makes his way over to the bed and looks down to find the princess asleep within it. Covered only with a thin sheet, her back is to him as she lies on her stomach, her hair spread out behind her. His eyes widen when she turns over onto her back with a sleepy sigh, loosening the sheet and revealing her breasts to him.

Lance feels himself harden instantly at the sight. Resisting the urge to lower his head and pull one of the exposed, rosy nipples into his mouth, he moves away from the bed and starts stripping off his clothing. When nude, he moves back to the bed, lifts the sheet, and slides in beside her. Resting his elbow, Lance whispers, "Maia…"

She sleepily replies, "Hmmm?" but does not open her eyes.

Smiling, he leans over and kisses her softly then adds, "Wake up love."

"No," Maia sighs out then turns onto her side toward him.

Gently pushing her hair off her shoulder, Lance leans over and kisses the soft skin then moves to her neck to nuzzle her there. He feels her shudder then hears, "Lance?" in a sleepy tone. Moving from her neck, he places kisses along her jawline before reaching her lips. He replies, "I'm here love…" then kisses her softly. Feeling her lips moving underneath his, Lance deepens the kiss.

As their tongues dance together, he feels her fingers moving into his hair while her other hand drifts over his shoulder to settle on his back. Moving his knee, he parts her legs then gently pushes her onto her back as he moves over her. Settling between her legs, Lance breaks the kiss to smile down at her, "As promised…"

Maia retorts, "You are late," but the smile on her face takes the bite out of her words.

"I know, I'm sorry," replies Lance as he leans over to kiss her lightly on the nose. "Keith decided to have meeting after dinner that seemed to last forever." Sliding down, he kisses her lips then moves to her cheek before sliding back over to her neck. "I'll make it up to you now…"

Gripping onto his shoulders even as he nibbles on the sensitive spot near her ear, Maia breathlessly asks, "How are you going to do that?"

Looking back at her with a wolfish smile on his face, Lance replies, "Maia, my love, by the time I'm done, you will be screaming my name in ecstasy." Moving back to her neck, he kisses her there once more then moves his lips down to her collarbone even as his hand slides up her side to cup her full breast, his fingers teasing her taut nipple. He continues to devastate her with kisses as he slides down her chest.

Maia gasps when he places a kiss in the valley between her breasts then uses his tongue to outline the underside of her breast even as his thumb continues to slide over her nipple, tormenting her. Shifting underneath him, the princess pushes her pelvis up against him in demand. She listens to him chuckle softly as he says, "Easy love…we have the whole night ahead of us."

His tongue moves up over the tip of her breast then he pulls the nipple eagerly into his mouth. Maia moves her hands into his hair, holding him to her as she cries out, "Lance…more…"

Releasing her breast, Lance smiles up at her as he says, "Demanding thing…aren't you?" He laughs at the look she gives him then moves over to her other breast, suckling on that nipple as his hand drifts down between her legs. Maia gasps and arches up against his hand as his fingers find her nub and start teasing it. The dual pleasure of the pressure on her nipple from his suckling and his fingers toying with her has the princess begging, "Please…"

Releasing her nipple, Lance kisses his way down her stomach, pausing to tongue her belly button as his fingers slide between her folds. She bucks against him as he pushes a finger inside her. He groans at the tightness of her clasping his finger as he slowly pulls it out then adds a second one as he pushes them back inside her. Moving down, he keeps moving his fingers within her as he begins tonguing her clitoris. Lance pauses when he feels the heel of her foot digging into his lower back as she cries out, "Oh Gods!" Smiling, he moves back between her legs and uses his finger on her nub as he decides to taste her.

Throwing her head back and arching her back like a strung bow as his tongue slides into her, Maia fists her hands into the bed sheets. As he continues to stab at her with his tongue, she feels as if she is riding a wave. Climbing higher and higher, about to reach to the top of a precipice. Screaming from the pleasure, "LANCE!" Maia comes hard then feels her entire body go limp as she comes back down.

Lance places one more kiss on her nub then slowly slides back up her body. Gathering her into his arms, he kisses her softly then deepens the kiss. She soon starts to react to him, her leg wrapping around his hips as her fingers move back into his hair. Stopping, Lance lifts his head to find her heavy-lidded emerald eyes staring up at him expectantly. A smile curves her lips as she says, "You are forgiven…"

"For what?" he asks, an eyebrow going up in question.

Leaning up, Maia kisses him then replies, "Making me wait for that…"

Laughter bubbles out of Lance as he states, "I'm not done yet…"

"Neither am I…" Maia retorts as she pushes on his shoulder and forces him over onto his back. Straddling him, she smiles devilishly as she says, "My turn," then bends over to kiss him. Their tongues duel for control of the kiss as her fingers slide down his muscular chest then grasps his manhood. Lance gasps against her mouth and she smiles as she inquires, "Ready?"

Resisting the urge to ask, "For what?" Lance nods then watches her slide down his body, her hair trailing behind to tease his skin. He grunts as she nips him in the stomach then feels her tongue laving the wound before moving on. A sense of anticipation fills him as she nears his groin, but it does not prepare him for the first swipe of her tongue along his length.

"God Maia!" he calls out as her tongue continues to move along him while her fingers find his testicles. Gripping onto her hair, Lance moans loudly when she tongues the tip of his penis then pulls it into her mouth. The suction of her mouth pulling on him is almost his undoing as he sits up and says, "Enough Maia…you have to stop!"

Doing as requested, the princess sits up then climbs onto Lance's lap, wrapping her legs around his waist. She smiles as she slyly asks, "Could you not handle it?"

Narrowing his eyes at her, the lieutenant replies, "Some other time I'll let you finish that, but for now…" He lifts her up by her hips and impales her on his shaft. Maia stiffens then cries out in pain. Lance swears broadly then quickly switches their position to lay her on back, "Damn it…I'm sorry love."

He can still feel her stiff body beneath him and places a kiss on her lips as he slides a hand between them to tease her clitoris once more. She slowly eases under him then he hears her derisive tone, "Clod!"

Looking back into her angry face, Lance sighs as he replies, "I know…I'm sorry. I forgot you were a virgin."

"Forgot?" she questions, her eyes burning emerald fire with her anger as she stiffens beneath him again. Her fists start hammering on his shoulders as she repeats, "Forgot!"

"Ouch! Maia!" Lance yells as he grabs both of her wrists and yanks them up over her head then forces his mouth down onto hers. She screams against his mouth and tries to buck him off, but it only serves to force him farther inside of her. Both go still and Lance pulls back to stare down into her face. He meets her eyes and they silent stare at each other as they both take deep breaths.

He bends back down to kiss her, but she turns her head away from him. Groaning, Lance whispers, "I said I was sorry." Releasing her hands, he places a hand on her cheek and forces her to look back at him. Tears slide out of her eyes and Lance groans even more, "Love…don't cry…please!"

A sob escapes her as she cries, "How could you forget?"

"I don't know," he starts then feels her fist hit him alongside the head. "OUCH!" Lance yells then grabs her wrists and hoists them above her head once more. He looks down into her furious eyes as he says, "I got caught up in it…and the way you teased me…I just lost my head." His eyes search hers earnestly looking for forgiveness as he says, "I love you Maia. I would never deliberately hurt you."

He feels her relax under him even as she accuses, "But you did hurt me."

"I know, I'm sorry," Lance states then leans down to kiss her. Maia returns the kiss then pulls back, her eyes have a steely look to them as she complains, "You are still an ass."

Laughter escapes out of Lance as he replies, "Yes, but I'm your ass and you're stuck with me."

"Gods, do I not know it," she retorts in a resigned tone.

Still laughing, the lieutenant leans down and kisses her lightly then whispers, "Shall we continue?"

Emerald green eyes narrow on him as Maia asks, "That depends, are we finished with the painful part?"

"Only one way to find out," he replies then rotates his hips.

A gasp escapes Maia as pleasure shoots through her body. She meets his gaze as Lance answers, "Guess it is," then leans down to kiss her even as he pulls out and thrusts forward again. Just as she is starting to move with him, Maia looks up surprised when he pulls out of her entirely, "Lance, what?"

He smiles wickedly at her as he replies, "I'm going to make this something you will never forget."

She arches an eyebrow at him and sarcastically answers, "So far, you are doing a marvelous job."

Chuckling, Lance kneels between her legs then pulls her by her hips onto his lap while instructing, "Bend your knees and put your feet down on the mattress."

Maia places her hands on his chest as she relaxes her shoulders against the bed. She feels his hands move to cup her buttocks. He enters her the next moment and the princess cries out as he pushes into her, deeper than before. His movements are slow and smooth as he begins thrusting. Gasps of pleasure escape her as she grips onto his forearms.

Arching her back as the speed of the thrusts increase, Maia cries out, "Gods Lance…I cannot take much more."

"Wait for it!" he instructs as he pushes up on his knees to increase the angle of his thrust.

Raising her legs, she wraps them around his waist and pushes her elbows under her to brace her body as she is slammed over and over with his hard thrusts. Maia cries out a moment later as she orgasms. She hears Lance's groan as he follows her shortly after. He keeps their bodies joined as he turns over so that she's lying on her side while he remains between her legs.

A smile is on his face as he leans forward to kiss her while running his hands along her side, "Are you all right?"

Maia returns the smile as she shifts her leg so that it rests over his hip, keeping him firmly nestled within her. She can feel him slowly hardening again as she replies, "I am fine." Her fingers run over his arm as she adds, "I will be even better if you do that again."

Lance laughs at her and whispers, "Your wish is my command, my lady," then pushes her onto her back once more as he begins thrusting into her.

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Wiping his hair with a towel, the commander walks out of his bathroom, makes his way over to his dresser and starts dressing for bed. Tying the string to his pajama bottoms, Keith picks up his nightshirt and starts pulling it over his head as a bright light flashes in front of him. Yanking the shirt into place, he finds Allura standing before him in her standard night gear of sleeveless, tight shirt and pajama bottoms. Her long hair hangs down her back in a braid as she states, "I gave up waiting for you."

"I didn't know you were expecting me," replies Keith as he takes a step closer to her.

Allura closes the distance between them to give him a hug. She rests her head against his chest as she says, "I tried to fall asleep without you, but could not."

Kissing her forehead, Keith sighs, "I'm sorry sweetheart. With Coran's warning today, I thought it best to keep up an appearance of propriety for the sake of the people of Storm Kingdom." Pulling away from her so that he can look into her eyes, he finishes, "I shouldn't be caught coming out of your room until we are married."

As she opens her mouth to retort, he puts a finger against her lips to stop her and says, "I know, according to Arusian tradition we are already married." Dipping his head, Keith kisses her then says, "We need to pick a date for a ceremony and let the people know of our plans."

Curious, Allura asks, "Why is this so important to you when it is not necessary?"

"Because," he starts then pauses. With a sigh, he guides her over to the bed and sits down on it then pulls her down onto his lap. Wrapping his arms around her, Keith says, "On Earth, a woman has a choice in who she marries."

He takes her hand with the mark and runs his fingers over it, "Before the cave, you said you wanted time to figure out what you wanted and I feel like you weren't given a choice in this." Looking back into her eyes, Keith finishes, "The ceremony will show the people that you chose to marry me, not that you are just honoring your father's wishes because he placed this mark on your hand."

Allura smiles at him then lays her head down on his shoulder, "I think my heart chose you the first time I saw you in those woods."

Clearing his throat uncomfortably, Keith replies, "I was a little out of it from the hit to the head. I don't remember our first meeting very well."

Laughter bubbles out of Allura as she lifts her head to look at him, "You saved my life then fell flat on your face in front of me."

"And you fell in love with that?" he asks with a lift of an eyebrow in disbelief.

Continuing to laugh, the princess nods her head, "It seemed very heroic at the time."

"Not quite as heroic as puking on your boots?" asks Keith with a mischievous look in his eyes.

"Oh…" snaps Allura, her tone suddenly changing to one of fury, "You ruined my favorite pair of boots doing that." Noting the humor in his eyes, she adds, "And you were very rude to me."

"I'm sorry sweetheart," laughs Keith as he pulls her stiff body tighter against him, "I've been told more than once I'm a complete asshole when I'm sick."

"I can vouch for that," she drolly replies while rolling her eyes.

Laughing softly against her ear, he whispers, "Can you forgive me?"

"That depends," sniffs the princess.

"On what?"

Turning toward him, Allura wraps her arms around his neck as she states, "If you intend to sleep beside me tonight?" She pushes her forehead against his as she finishes, "I do not wish to sleep alone."

Keith kisses her then replies, "As you wish."

"I also wish for a new pair of boots," she dryly adds, causing Keith to start laughing again.

Sobering up, he nods to her, "We are placing a request with Garrison for a supply ship. It's coming out of the Azure quadrant in a few weeks. I'll see what I can do."

Smiling, Allura places a kiss on his cheek then rises, "I think we should return to my room."

"What's wrong with my room?" asks Keith as he stands.

"My bed is bigger," she replies as she glances down at his twin-sized mattress.

Looking back down at the bed, Keith has to concur, "Yeah, probably not a good idea for you to have to sleep on top of me all night."

Allura makes a face and taps her chin as if she is reconsidering the idea. Laughing, Keith wraps his arms around her, "Take us to your room."

Smiling, she hugs him back as they disappear a moment later.


	39. Chapter 39

Good catch Reader K, if all you caught was one error, I guess I'm doing pretty well. ;) Many thanks to all the reviewers, I'm glad you enjoyed Lance's "shining moment". On we go…

I make no claims to Voltron or any WEP characters.

Origins: A Legend Unfolds: Chapter 39

Awakening the next morning, Keith glances to his side to find Allura's nose pressed against his forearm, snoring quietly in her sleep. He smiles softly to himself as he turns on his side toward her, his fingers gently brushing the loose, wispy hair off her forehead. Picking up the end of her braid, Keith uses it to tickle her nose. She mumbles something undistinguishable as she slaps at the offending tickler.

His smile grows as he drops the braid while leaning over to blow in her ear, continuing his torment. She slaps at him again, barely missing his face then sleepily mumbles, "Keith?"

"Good morning, sweetheart," he answers then kisses the top of her head.

A low moan escapes her then she pushes her nose against his chest while whining, "Head hurts…"

Feeling a rush of concern, he runs a hand over the princess' forehead to check for fever then feels the back of her neck to find it tense. Gently using his fingers to massage the area, Keith listens to her whimper. Trying to keep quiet, he whispers, "Where do you keep aspirin?"

"Bathroom," is the murmured response.

Moving away from her, the commander rises from the bed and moves across the room to the bathroom. He re-enters the room a few minutes later with a glass of water and some pills in his hand. Sitting back down on the bed, he whispers, "Allura, sit up please. You need to take these."

He watches her slowly rise from the pillow, her eyes looking swollen as they thinly open to find the aspirin in his hand. As she places them in her mouth, Keith holds out the glass of water. She sips from it, hands it back then sinks back down onto her pillows, burying her face. Sighing, the commander runs a hand over her head as he glances at the clock.

Shocked by how late it is getting to be, he leans over the princess to whisper, "I have to go sweetheart, stay in bed this morning." He kisses the back of her head then quickly leaves the room, hoping not to be seen.

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Slowly awakening, Maia runs her hand along the mattress in search of her husband only to find the space beside her empty. Opening her eyes and lifting her head off her pillow, she looks about the room while calling out, "Lance?"

The door to the bathroom opens and he appears with a towel wrapped around his waist while using another one to dry his hair. He smiles as he sits down on the mattress beside her, "Morning!" Leaning over, he kisses her then asks, "How are you feeling this morning?"

Smiling up at him, the princess replies, "A little tender in some interesting places, but other than that, I am good."

"You are more than good, babe," retorts Lance as he winks at her suggestively.

Arching toward him, she pushes her hand underneath his towel to cup him as she suggests, "Why do you not prove it again?"

Groaning at the feeling of her hand stroking him, Lance finally grabs onto her arm and pulls it away, "I would love to, but if I'm late getting back to Storm Kingdom this morning, Keith will kill me."

Maia pouts as she pulls her hand away to run it along his toweled thigh, "You mean I cannot convince you to stay?"

His breathing quickens before he grabs her hand again as it starts to pull at his towel, "As convincing as you can be, I know what Keith will do to me if I'm late." He leans over to kiss her then fully pulls away to move over to his clothes.

As he pulls them on, Maia rises and puts on a thin, short robe that barely conceals her body. Moving toward him as he buttons his pants, she stops in front of him, allowing the robe to fall open, revealing her breasts to him, "Are you sure you cannot stay?"

"You're an evil woman," grits out the lieutenant as he turns away from her to pick up his shirt and yanks it on.

Laughter escapes the princess as she wraps her arms around him from behind then whispers, "No, simply in love with my new husband and wish to spend more time with him."

Lance sighs as he turns around in her arms to return the affection. After kissing her lightly on the lips, he informs her, "I'd stay in bed with you all day if I had the choice."

"I know," she replies as she rests her head on his shoulder. Pulling away from him a moment later, Maia asks, "Are you going in Red lion?"

"Probably don't need Red right away," his gaze turns speculative, "You could get me back a lot faster…"

She smiles at him, "And what do I get out of it?"

"A very grateful husband, who'll show his appreciation to you tonight," he replies as he gathers her into his arms again.

Maia laughs then gestures down to his boots, "You better grab those."

He bends down to pick them up then Maia grabs onto him and they disappear a moment later only to reappear in his bedroom at Storm Kingdom. Lance groans as he doubles over swearing, "I'll never get used to that…"

"You will, someday. I will see you later," she replies, kisses his cheek then pulls away before disappearing again.

Swallowing hard against the nausea he still feels, Lance moves over to his closet to grab some clean clothes.

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Ten minutes later, the lieutenant runs into the gym to find the others already running around the room. He quickly joins them, catching up with the commander to say, "Morning!" in a cheery voice. He watches Keith glance his way then look straight ahead again before sarcastically replying, "Glad you could join us."

"Almost didn't make it," Lance confesses, "I'm married to an evil woman who almost convinced me to go AWOL."

The other men snicker behind them and Keith shakes his head humorously, "Good thing you chose to show up."

"Yeah, I know," swallows the lieutenant, "Only the thought of what you'd do to me got me out of there."

Keith gives him an evil smile then goes back to his running. Lance finally looks around at the company surrounding him, noticing only one princess present, then asks, "Where's Allura?"

Sighing as he keeps the pace moving, the commander replies, "In bed. Hopefully, sleeping away the migraine she woke up with."

Wincing, Lance asks, "Is she all right?"

"I'm sure she will be once the migraine goes away," answers Keith then adds, "Let's get our work out finished. I want to check on her again before breakfast."

Nodding, Lance and the others quickly pick up the pace as Keith increases his speed.

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Two hours later, Keith walks into the dining room to find Queen Arielle speaking with the advisor quietly at the table. He walks over to the server and pours himself a cup of coffee then moves over to his seat. His head turns when he hears the queen speak, "Commander?"

"Yes, Queen Arielle?" he responds, turning his body toward the pair at the end of the table.

She smiles at him then requests, "I need to return to my home this morning." The smile fades slightly as she continues, "Though she will return with me initially to retrieve more of her clothing, my daughter wishes to remain behind with Darrell. However, I would be very thankful if you would allow them to spend some nights in Wind Kingdom."

"I don't foresee an issue with it," responds the commander as the advisor nods to him in agreement.

As the queen glances Coran's way, he coughs lightly then adds, "We will be building a launch system so that Green lion may stay in Wind Kingdom when not in use. They wish to once again be in charge of maintaining the lion."

'_All the more reason for Pidge to stay over at Wind Kingdom on a regular basis,'_ thinks Keith with a mental sigh. He nods to them in response, "I don't have a problem with it as long as Pidge is here each day to take care of his responsibilities."

Arielle smiles brightly at him, "All will be well then. As I said, I need to return home. Could Darrell please take me after breakfast?"

"I'm sure he would be delighted to, Queen Arielle," the commander answers.

As the others enter the room with their respective princess, Coran glances curiously back at Keith, "Where is Allura this morning?"

"Sleeping off a migraine," he answers, "I stopped to check on her again before coming down here. She was still sound asleep. I'm hoping when she wakes up, the headache will be gone."

"Poor girl," says the advisor then he informs the commander, "She does not get them often, but when she does, they shut her down."

"So I saw this morning, she could barely lift her head off the pillow," he agrees as he turns his attention to the youngest member of the Voltron Force, "Pidge." He waits until he has the young man's attention then orders, "Queen Arielle wishes you to take her home after breakfast."

"I need to return to Earth Kingdom as well." Kaya looks a bit embarrassed as she glances at Hunk, "I have already been gone far too long. Sophia will begin to worry."

Wishing he had also remained in bed that morning, the commander looks about the table to instruct, "We'll hold off practice and patrol until this afternoon." His eyes meet Hunk's then Pidge's as he orders, "Take care of getting the ladies back to their homes then report back."

At their nods, he turns back to the table only to hear Audric whine, "Do I have to go Mother? Can I stay behind with Bandor?"

Kaya stares at her son steadily for a moment before saying, "No, you may not." Before he can complain further, she adds, "However, Bandor may come with us for a visit if his sister does not object."

Pulled from her conversation with Sven as her brother yanks on her arm to get her attention, Romelle looks about as she asks, "What?"

Excitement shines on his face as Bandor asks, "Can I go with Audric to visit Earth Kingdom?"

"Oh!" the princess looks from her brother across the table to find Kaya smiling sympathetically at her. Glancing back at Sven, who subtly nods to her, Romelle finally mumbles, "I suppose it would be all right for a day or two."

"Don't worry, Princess,"

Keith's voice has the Polluxian princess glancing his way as he adds, "I'm sure Hunk will be visiting Earth Kingdom daily, so whenever you want Bandor back here…"

"Thanks Commander," replies Romelle as she feels Sven's hand taking hers and squeezing it reassuringly. She smiles back at him then looks over at her brother, "We shall pack your bag after breakfast then."

"This will be great!" exclaims Audric as he looks excitedly at his friend, making the adults laugh.

Smiling at the youths as they put their heads together to begin planning their activities at Earth Kingdom, Keith shakes his head at them then turns his attention back to his breakfast.

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Half an hour later, Keith sits back in his chair, sipping his coffee as he watches the others slowly leave the room after arranging to meet down in the lion caverns. Lance waves to him as he leaves the room to go begin his shift in the control room. His eyes finally fall on the advisor, who is still sitting in his own chair, observing him closely. Putting the cup down, the commander asks, "Something on your mind, Coran?"

Putting his fingertips together in a steeple, the older man replies, "This will be quite the balancing act for you, I imagine?"

"What?" asks Keith, his brows contracted together in query.

"Balancing family and duty…and I am not talking about just Allura. We are all bound together now, closer than the royal families have been for ages."

Keith nods slowly, "Yes, I guess I haven't thought about it too much."

"This morning is only a short example I am guessing," interjects the advisor. "You will end up having to bend between Garrison needs, Arus' needs and those of the families who wish to stay closer to their loved ones." He stands up from his seat, "I think you will do a fine job of it."

Shrugging to himself at the strangeness of the conversation, Keith looks over swiftly as Coran pauses just before leaving the room, "I shall give you one small tip. Even though she is an adult now, Allura still likes someone to be near when she is not feeling well."

Realizing what the advisor is trying to tell him, Keith swears to himself softly as he heads out of the room. Walking down the hall quickly, he returns to Allura's room and knocks softly on the door. He opens the door without waiting for an answer and walks in to find the princess still curled into a ball on the bed. After yanking off his boots, Keith slowly crawls onto the bed, behind her, then curls himself around her while trying not to disturb her.

"Keith?"

Wrapping his arms around her, he quietly replies, "I'm here, sweetheart."

"Head hurts."

The plaintive sound of her voice has him cringing as he whispers, "I know, go back to sleep."

He pulls back slightly as she sits up only enough to turn into his arms, her nose pushing into his chest as she curls back into him. Stroking the back of her head, he listens to her whimper quietly and places a kiss against her forehead. Her breathing deepens several minutes later, informing him that she has fallen asleep once more.

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Holding Devika's hand within his own, Pidge carries the queen's bag in his other as they follow her out to the lion. Arielle stops just before the Green lion only to look back at the young couple. She shakes her head at them as she watches her daughter swing Pidge's hand out wide only for him to look over at her to smile. He lifts her hand to place a kiss on the back of it a moment later then glances up to find her staring at him and turns bright red with embarrassment.

Trying not to smile, she listens to him clear his throat as he releases Devika's hand then mumbles, "I'll get this up into the lion." The queen watches him jump up and disappear into the interior of the lion with her bag.

"He still thinks you do not approve."

Turning to the irritated sound of her daughter's voice, Arielle responds, "I have no issue with Darrell, you know that."

"I do, but he does not," responds the princess as she takes a step near her mother.

The queen waves her off as Pidge rejoins them to lead her into the lion. Devika quickly jumps up without his help then sits down on the side seat next to her mother as Pidge sits in the command chair. As he works the controls of the lion, Arielle studies her new son closer. His dark brown hair is cut short, the ends barely brushing against his collar. However, she can tell that if he were to let it grow, it would be very curly. Imaging a future grandchild looking exactly like her daughter, she smiles brightly to herself.

A short while later, Pidge directs the lion to the opening for Green lion's resting place. He runs through the tunnel, quickly reaching the inner cavern. As he settles the lion into place, he notices the activity on the ground. Pidge looks back at the queen as she assures him, "Barden is just welcoming us home."

The private looks out the monitors once more, noting the guards moving about, all armed and thinks, _'I somehow doubt that one…'_

He opens the side hatch and helps the queen down to the ground. As Devika lands beside him, Pidge looks over to find Barden walking up to them, a decidedly unhappy expression on his face. He barely spares the younger man a glance as he looks over the princess then faces the queen, "We've been worried ever since we heard about the events in Fire Kingdom. I've taken the liberty to double our security…"

"Barden, we are fine," interrupts the Arielle as she places a hand on his arm. "Darrell and his friends took very good care of Devika and I."

The older man barely reins in his contemptuous snort as he glares at the pilot. He glances down and finally notices Devika holding Pidge's hand, their marks alight. In amazement, he looks back at the queen for confirmation. Arielle simply nods to him in answer. Barden explodes, "Who the hell do you think you are?"

He yanks Devika's hand away from Pidge to glare at the mark on her hand then takes a threatening step towards him, "She is not for the likes of you!"

"BARDEN!"

Ignoring the queen's outraged tone, he growls, "You will never be king of Wind Kingdom…if I have to…"

"Barden! That is quite enough!"

He turns back to the queen, "But he is not royalty…not even Arusian! How can you condone…"

"My father chose Darrell for me."

The princess' quiet tone has him looking back at her in confusion. She smiles at him, trying to comfort him, "Father's spirit…he marked us." Stepping back, Devika takes Pidge's hand again, "I am his and he is mine."

As their marks light up once more, Barden glares at the younger man, "Do not think this makes you king."

Having kept quiet for the exchange, Pidge keeps his expression completely neutral as he stares dispassionately back at the advisor. Refusing to be cowed by the man, he finally says, "I have no intention of taking Prince Harold's place on the throne. I…don't…want…it."

"You will not take mine either!" snarls Barden.

"Barden!"

Pidge holds up his hand to stop Devika, instead he tilts his head slightly to the side as he stares intently at the other man. His gaze turns hard as he returns in a deadly tone, "Where my wife and her family is concerned, their safety is my top priority. While I respect your position, you will **not** undermine mine."

He turns his attention to the queen, nods politely to her then puts his arm around Devika's waist as he leads her toward the compound. Shocked, the advisor turns to Arielle only to find her smiling sadly at him as she says, "I have already come to terms with the fact that my daughter is no longer mine alone. Deep down, they already love each other…the bond will see to the rest."

Reaching out, she places a hand on the older man's arm, "You helped me raise my children, for that I shall always thank you. But this is something Harold did…I have to believe he had a good reason."

"But…she is only fourteen…" mutters the advisor, his cheeks still red with his anger.

"Yes, that has already been addressed. They have sworn to me that there will be no relations until she reaches sixteen. I trust Darrell to see to that," she explains calmly. As Barden looks indecisively back to the couple as they reach the compound doors, he hears, "This life is uncertain, my old friend. The only certainty I now know is that Darrell will make a fine son and he would die to protect Devika as my Harold died to protect the children and me. He is a good man, Barden. Give him a chance."

Barden sighs deeply as he looks back at his queen. She smiles softly at him then holds out her hand for his elbow, "Please escort me in now. We need to break the news to Harold before Darrell and Devika leave for Storm Kingdom once more."

As they start for the compound, the older man grumbles, "So, she will no longer be here?"

Arielle smiles softly at his taciturn tone; the advisor has always had a soft spot for her children and always would. "They shall go between both kingdoms. Green lion will return here for our kingdom to maintain. Darrell is required to be in Storm Kingdom each day for his responsibilities. I am sure where Darrell goes, Devika will follow."

"What of Harold?" Barden turns his head to stare at the queen, "Green lion is his to inherit."

"And he will…one day…when he is ready," answers Arielle. She nods to the guards at the doors as they walk inside then whispers, "This is actually a great relief to me. I have always feared that Harold would have to take over before he was ready. Now, he can have his childhood and Darrell will teach him how to be a warrior, so when it is time for him to become king, he will be prepared."

"I could have taught him that…"

Smiling sadly at the grumbling comment, the queen turns to Barden, "You have taught my son many things and I am sure you will teach him many more, but a warrior, you are not. When the time comes for my son to take his birthright, he will be prepared for anything Zarkon throws at him. Darrell and his friends will make sure of that."

She takes his hand within hers, "Come, join us when we tell Harold the news…"

At his barely perceptible nod, Queen Arielle turns to lead the way down to the family quarters.

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Kaya smiles brightly at Hunk as he gently sets her on the ground next to the Yellow lion. He quickly catches a laughing Audric, who had jumped from the side hatch. Shaking her head at the two of them, she watches Hunk throw the young boy up into the air and catches him a second time before setting him onto the cave floor beside a smiling Bandor. The prince smiles brightly at his mother then notices a person standing off to the side, "SOPHIE!"

He races over to his aunt as she bends down to meet him, hugging her to him as she glances over at her sister and new brother-in-law. They walk over to her, arm in arm with another boy beside them and she can almost see the happiness radiating from her sister. As they stop in front of her, Sophia releases her nephew to rise. She watches her sister move her hand to place it in the middle of her husband's chest as Kaya says, "It is good to be home."

"Home and with a larger family," answers Sophia a little sarcastically with her arms crossed.

"Sophia…" starts Kaya, her smile dimming slightly.

Hunk steps in front of his wife to face his new sister as he declares, "I love her. I love Audric, what more do you want?"

Studying the big man in front of her, Sophia slowly lowers her arms then manages a smile of her own, "Only to hear that for myself. Welcome home."

Audric jumps at Hunk again, only to be swung up to his shoulder as the prince declares, "Hunk is my dad now! Is that not great?"

"It is fabulous," answers the princess as her gaze finally moves to the other visitor, "Who is this?"

"My friend, Bandor! He is a prince from Planet Pollux," Audric quickly informs her as he wiggles until Hunk places him back on the ground next to his friend. "He gets to stay with us for a while and we are going to have fun!"

"I am sure you will," smiles the princess as she glances over at Kaya and Hunk.

The couple instantly moves back together, their hands intertwining so that the marks light up. Sophia gasps at the sight of it then her questioning gaze finds Kaya's. The other woman smiles as she informs her sister, "Father chose this for us. I should have called you yesterday to tell you, but was too caught up in my happiness. I am sorry Sophie."

She manages to nod then looks over at Hunk to ask, "Is he king then?"

"No."

His tone is a little short as he shakes his head, "I know nothing about ruling a country. I'll leave that to you two. My job is to protect Arus. Speaking of which…" he turns back to his wife, "I need to return to Storm Kingdom."

"Awww…" Audric whines as he glances up at his new father, "But you just got here!"

Hunk ruffles his hair, "And I'll be back when my job is done." He leans down to place a kiss on Kaya's cheek, "I'll see you tonight after my shift." He chucks Bandor under the chin as he says, "Have fun…" then turns around and heads back for the lion.

Smiling at his departure, Kaya turns back to Sophia as the other princess starts to herd the boys into the compound. A look of understanding passes between them then they turn to walk into the compound together.

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Walking down the hallways of Fire Kingdom, Maia can feel a smile slipping across her face as her thoughts turn to Lance once more. Her attention span all morning had been horrible as memories of the night before would distract her as she was trying to do her work. Her commander was reading a report of Drule activity to her and paused to ask why she was smiling. With her cheeks turning a bright red, Maia had to apologize that her thoughts had run away with her then asked the poor man to read the report to her again.

After that fiasco, she had decided that she would be better off spending some time in her office, away from prying eyes. Maia sighs as she thinks about the excuse that she gave her commander for the needed time alone, _'Paperwork…what utter rubbish_.' Lucky for her that Vasin is a good friend, her companion since her family had been taken from her. His eyes had twinkled with humor as he accepted her excuse with a nod and stated he would keep the staff away from her for the afternoon.

Reaching her office, she pauses near the door then changes her mind and continues down the hallway. Within moments, Maia reaches the entrance to the lion cavern. She smiles at the guards posted near the door then continues into the cavern, her eyes moving over the lion. Briefly, she thinks about taking the lion out for a ride. Immediately the thought is dismissed as she remembers that Lance has the key on him. She toys with going over to Storm Kingdom to visit him then shakes her head. He has work he needs to finish, especially if she wants to see him that night.

Moving around the back of the lion, Maia stops as she thinks about where she should go next. The thought is barely formed when everything goes black.


	40. Chapter 40

I make no claims to Voltron or any WEP characters.

Origins: A Legend Unfolds: Chapter 40

Glancing at the clock only to realize that lunch would be served within the next thirty minutes, Keith sighs then looks back down at the woman in his arms. Allura is still asleep, though, not the deep sleep she spent most of the morning in. He can tell she is slowly waking up as she sighs then pushes her nose even more into his chest. Feeling her fingers digging into his side, the commander whispers, "Morning sweetheart," while kissing her forehead.

Groggy blue eyes open as a sleepy groan escapes her then they close again only for her to snuggle even closer to him if that were possible. Smiling, Keith kisses her forehead again, "How's your head?"

"Hurts still…but not as bad," she whispers to him. Her fingers move along his side, tickling him slightly as Allura adds, "Thank you for staying with me."

Trying not to move as her fingers keep mercilessly teasing him, Keith groans inwardly. After sucking in a deep breath in order to keep from jerking away from her, he suggests, "You probably need to eat something. Lunch is in thirty minutes, why don't you get a shower quick and get dressed."

He almost breathes a sigh of relief as she stops moving her fingers to turn to look at the clock. Her eyes widen in shock at the time as she mutters, "I slept all morning?"

"Yes," he cups her cheek, his thumb moving over her bottom lip. "Given you could barely lift your head this morning, I thought it better for you to rest."

"You stayed with me all morning?" she asks, still slightly dumbfounded.

"Not quite," Keith answers truthfully. "I worked out with the team and had some breakfast before coming back." A rueful smile crosses his handsome face as he adds, "A little birdie told me that you like someone staying with you when you don't feel well."

"That little birdie would not happen to be an older gentleman, very distinguished looking and goes by the name Coran?" the princess questions, her eyebrow arching at him.

Quiet laughter escapes him as Keith leans forward to kiss her lightly. Pulling back, he replies, "Yes, he would. You can't blame the man for giving me a tip, can you?"

"No, I suppose not," she responds then pulls away. Slowly, Allura rises from the bed, her hand to her forehead as she makes her way to the bathroom. "I will see you at lunch."

"Actually, no, you won't."

Allura pauses to look back at him as Keith explains, "I'm skipping lunch to get some work done quick before our meeting after lunch." At her confused look, he continues, "We postponed patrol so that Queen Arielle and Princess Kaya could be taken home. We are meeting after lunch to go over the plans for patrol then will head out."

"Everyone is…gone?" she asks in a broken voice.

Rising from the bed, Keith walks over to her as her eyes seem to tear up. "Not everyone, Romelle is still here." He cups her cheek once more, his fingers wiping away the tears slipping down her cheeks, "Bandor went with Kaya and Audric to visit Earth Kingdom. Devika will return with Pidge, but they will be staying between both kingdoms. I'm sure Hunk and Kaya will be doing the same. We shall see them all again."

Nodding, Allura whispers, "I liked it when the dining room was full. It felt like I had a family again."

"You do," replies the commander as he pulls her into his arms. "We might be spread around Arus, but we are all family now."

Rubbing her cheek against his chest, the princess finally agrees, "Yes, I know."

Keith smiles to himself as he kisses the top of her head then pulls back, "I have to get moving. I'll see you at the meeting."

At her nod, he turns around and walks out of the room. Allura sighs as the door closes behind him. Turning away, she walks into the bathroom.

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Rising from the command chair, Pidge pockets the key for the lion and smiles at his wife as she unbuckles herself from the side seat. Standing, her long, black hair curls around her face as Devika looks up at him sadly, "Would you believe I already miss my mother?"

Pidge smiles down at her as he pulls her toward him for a hug, "Yes. You could've stayed there you know. I would've come back later tonight after my shift."

"No, I belong where you are," she disagrees as she hugs him back.

A sigh escapes the young pilot as he pulls away. Bending down, he picks up her bag. "Let's get inside."

He opens the side hatch then holds out a hand for her to descend first. A small smile crosses her lips as she moves past him to jump down to the ground. Pidge quickly follows her. Putting an arm around her slim waist, he leads them toward the compound's entrance. Just before they reach it, Devika pulls back. Her gaze moves down the tunnel toward the cave containing hot springs then she looks back at him to say, "I think I will go bathe in the hot pools."

"You aren't hungry?" asks Pidge with a quizzical look.

Devika shrugs as she answers, "I need the bath more. I can always eat something later."

He looks down the tunnel toward the hot springs then back at his wife. The feeling of not wanting to let her out of his sight goes through him. She smiles as if reading his thoughts, "I shall be fine, Darrell.

Nodding to her, Pidge finally agrees, "All right. I'll see you at dinner then.

She leans forward to kiss his cheek then pulls away from him to walk down the tunnel leading to the springs. He stands in place and watches her until she disappears into the cavern. Sighing, Pidge tightens his grip on her bag then walks up the steps leading to the compound entrance.

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A while later, Allura walks into the dining room to find Pidge, Hunk and Lance already seated. As they quietly talk amongst themselves, the princess slowly makes her way to a chair and sits down gingerly on it. Her head comes up as she hears, "Hey, how's the headache?"

Managing a weak smile at Lance, Allura quietly answers, "Still hurts. But Keith thought I should eat something."

"Well, we'll keep our voices down then so we don't make it worse for you," supplies Hunk in a much lower tone than the big man normally uses.

Smiling her thanks, Allura watches Sven and Romelle enter the room then notices someone missing. Looking over at Pidge, she asks, "Did Devika remain in Wind Kingdom?"

"No, she decided to go bathe in the hot springs and eat something later."

Coran is the last to enter the room, his concerned gaze moving over his charge as he makes his way to his seat. Sitting down, he grimaces at the pale face and the slight squint to the eyes of the woman in front of him. "You should have remained in bed, Highness," the advisor states as he places his napkin over his lap.

"I am all right, Coran. I shall rest some more after lunch," Allura returns as she glances over at him.

"Maybe we should join Devika in the springs?" suggests Romelle beside her. "The hot water might help you."

Allura smiles her thanks to her cousin as she nods in agreement, "Sounds like a good idea if you will join me?"

"Of course," responds Romelle with a smile. "With Bandor over in Earth Kingdom, I admit to having little to do."

"Well, it sounds like you two have a plan," states the advisor as he sits back in his chair while observing the women across from him.

Sven and Lance share a look but the lieutenant only shrugs as if saying, "What can we do about it?" Shrugging in reply, the Norwegian thanks the servant placing his plate in front of him then goes to work on eating it.

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Rolling her eyes at the two boys as they laugh at something silly, Kaya wipes her mouth with her napkin then places it on her plate. Glancing at her sister, she finds Sophia's eyes twinkling with merriment. Sighing, she asks, "Can you sit with them until they finish? I have been gone for far too long and my desk shows it."

Sophia laughs, "Well my sister, there were some things I was not going to cover for you."

"Brat…"

Her younger sister smiles breezily at her despite the insult then gestures to the door, "Do you not have something to do?"

Resisting the urge to call her a brat again, Kaya rises from the table, chides the boys to listen to Sophia then walks out of the room. She is almost to her office when a guard approaches her, "Princess Kaya, we have a situation out in the lion cavern that requires your attention."

Turning to walk with the guard, Kaya asks, "What is the problem?"

"It is easier to show you than to try to explain," states the guard as he leads her out of the compound.

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A dark, sinister laughter echoes down the tunnel as each guard carries a princess toward the open cavern. Entering the room, they find the Prince of Doom standing in front of the pole holding the Princess of Fire Kingdom. There are five poles positioned in a circle with magical markings carved into the floor of the cavern. They can see the malicious expression on his face as he asks, "Whatever could be wrong, Princess? Is our accommodations inadequate for you?"

Maia seethes as she spits out, "You despicable bastard! Let me go!"

He laughs in her face again then notices the two guards, "Fabulous! Two more princesses to join our little party!"

Turning her head, Maia sucks in a deep breath of horror when she recognizes Kaya and Devika. The men tie them to two more of the poles in the circle as they slowly begin to wake up. Maia struggles against her bonds and once again tries to summon fire to burn away the ropes. Her face turns red with her struggles as she mentally swears, _'Why the hell can I not start a fire?'_

"Because pretty princess, I have used a spell or two of my own that blocks your powers."

Looking across the cavern, Maia watches a horrible looking woman, with blue, shriveled skin and bright yellow eyes smiling at her as she walks across the room. The princess snarls, "You read my mind!"

"No, not at all. That is a power I do not have, yet. However, it does not take a genius to know what you were thinking as you struggled to free yourself," explains Haggar as she stops near the Prince of Doom and stares at her.

Bored with the proceedings, Lotor moves away to examine at the other two princesses. He walks past Kaya to look at Devika. Her eyes slowly open as she groggily calls out, "Darrell?"

He grabs her chin so that he can look into her eyes and is delighted to find them a lighter green. His finger wraps around one of her black curls as he responds, "No, my pretty, not Darrell."

Her eyes widen in dawning horror as she realizes who is standing in front of her. Lotor smiles cruelly at her as he states, "Soon it will be my name you whisper in your sleep!"

Devika lets out a shriek of terror as Maia yells at him, "Leave her alone!"

From her position next to the youngest princess, Kaya struggles against her bonds. Lotor turns his attention to her, walking slowly up to her as he states, "I understand you know all about Drule appetites."

He runs a finger down along her cheek as Kaya tries to turn her face away from him. His eyes dance with merciless humor as he bends down and forces a kiss on her. She screams as she tries to turn away from him. Lotor pulls back and grins, "I shall enjoy having you once Haggar is through making you one of my mindless slaves."

Haggar shakes her head at him then looks back at the two guards to demand, "Where are the other two princesses? I need them to complete the circle!"

"We are going back now," mumbles the one guard and they both walk out of the cavern.

Turning back to look over the three girls as Lotor finally moves away from them, Haggar smiles to herself, _'It is all coming together…at long last!'_

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Standing at the front of the room, Keith looks over the reports he quickly compiled over the lunch hour, his eyes scanning for mistakes or topics he may have forgotten. The door to the conference room opens to reveal the advisor. He arches a brow at him in question when he notices that Allura does not accompany him into the room. Coran smiles at him as he states, "Princess Allura asked me to express her regrets that she cannot join the meeting and that she trusts you, Commander, to make the correct decisions for Storm Kingdom."

"Where is she, Coran?" demands Keith as he takes a step closer to the older man.

"At the heated pools," he replies as he sits down in one of the chairs. "She is still suffering from that headache and Princess Romelle suggested they go relax in the pools." The advisor smiles again, "Allura is fine, Commander."

Keith nods, but a feeling of unease will not leave him. Forcing himself to ignore the feeling, he glances over at Sven, who gives him a questioning look. Clearing his throat, he turns back to the diagrams on the screen and starts the meeting.

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Entering the cave for the heated pools while listening to Romelle speak, Allura pauses just inside the door to look around the room. Light from the torches along the walls show nothing but elongated shadows that shift with the moving light. The hairs on the back of her neck rise as her eyes continue to move about the room.

Pausing beside her, Romelle notes, "I thought Devika was down here. Perhaps she finished and returned to the compound." She looks back at Allura then notices her looking around the cavern. Concern fills her, "What is wrong?"

Looking back at her cousin, Allura shrugs then rubs at her forehead as she says, "It is nothing, must be the headache playing with me."

Romelle's eyes soften in sympathy, "Poor dear. Get into the water. I am sure it will make you feel better."

Nodding, she follows Romelle toward one of the pools then pauses once more as a quiet noise reaches her ears. Studying the shadowed corners of the room once more, she calls out, "Hello?"

A little scared now, Romelle looks around the room as well, trying to see into the shadowed areas as she asks, "What did you hear?"

Allura looks around once more. Silence echoes around the room as the two princesses stand dead still. She finally sighs and rubs her pained temples again, "I am being silly. Everything is all right, Romelle."

"Are you sure?"

Managing a weak smile for her cousin, Allura answers, "Yes. Get into the water." She continues to rub at her temples, trying to ease the ache in her head, as she walks over to the closest pool. Pulling her braid around, she takes out the band holding the hair in place then undoes the braid. She glances over to find Romelle slowly undressing as well. After running her fingers through her hair, she drops her robe on the floor then walks toward the pool. Allura dips a foot into the water, testing out the temperature then screams as she is grabbed from behind and a cloth is placed against her mouth and nose.

"About time you came down here, Princess…we've been waiting all day."

She barely hears Romelle's scream. About to black out, Allura's last thought is, _'Keith…'_


	41. Chapter 41

I make no claims to Voltron or any WEP characters.

Origins: A Legend Unfolds: Chapter 41

Pointing up to the screen, Keith instructs, "Sven, I want you and Lance to take this section this afternoon. Do a sweep and take out any Drule patrols you may find." Pointing to the next section, he looks over at the other two, "Hunk, you and Pidge will patrol this area, same drill. I will…"

He stops when there is a flash of light and Allura suddenly appears beside him in the nude, with a man holding onto her from behind. Her eyes drift slowly closed as Keith yells her name and knocks the man off her. As the man falls backward, the commander calls out, "Lance!" as he grabs the princess and pulls her falling body toward him. His eyes remain on the action as Lance raises his blaster and fires the stunner on the man as he tries to rise from the ground. The man falls back against the wall only to have Hunk grab him and haul his arms up behind his back.

Keith looks away from them and back down to the woman in his arms, "Allura?"

A long coat drops over her, hiding her nudity as Coran asks, "Is she all right?"

"Romelle! Where's Romelle!" demands Sven as he starts to move for the door.

Shaking his head at the questions flying around the room, Keith rises with Allura unconscious in his arms, "I need to get her to MedTech." His eyes drift over to the man being held up by Hunk, "Check the caverns below, and see if he was alone. Romelle might still be down there." As they start to follow Sven out of the room, another thought hits him, "Check on the other princesses as well!"

Tightening his grip on the princess in his arms, he leaves the room, the advisor right behind him.

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Pacing in the cavern as her yellow eyes move over the other princesses, Haggar pauses to glance at Prince Lotor then starts pacing again. The prince leans with his back against one of the walls, his knee bent with one booted foot resting against the rock wall. With his arms crossed and a look of complete boredom on his face, he demands, "Relax old witch…"

Haggar glares at him in answer then stops her pacing when a man quickly enters the room with Princess Romelle over his shoulder. He drops her at the witch's feet, drawing in deep breaths as he states, "We lost the other one. She disappeared with Balder and I left before the guards came."

Disdainful laughter from the prince echoes in the cavern as Haggar raises her staff. The man holds up a hand and yells, "NO!" before being blasted off his feet and hits the wall behind him. As he crumbles to the ground, the old witch turns back to the prince to snarl, "I need the last girl! She completes the circle…"

"So I will go get her," Lotor says as he pulls away from the wall.

Shaking her head, Haggar replies, "No, I will go." A wicked smile crosses her face, "But not as myself…"

Lotor's eyes narrow on her as the old witch raises her staff and light encompasses the room.

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Twenty minutes later, Keith is sitting beside Allura, watching her closely as she lies asleep on a bed in MedTech. His dark eyes move over her still form then back at the doctor, "How long will she be out?"

Dr. Gorma glances at the machines hooked up to the princess then sighs, "She should wake soon. The drug on that cloth was only meant to put her to sleep for a short while." He looks over at the man beside him to find Coran staring intently at the young woman lying asleep in the bed as well.

Nodding, Keith goes back to staring at the princess. The door to the room opening draws his attention away once more. He stands when Sven walks farther into the room, "If there were more men, they are gone…"

He notices his friend's face is white, "What's wrong?"

"They are gone…the other princesses…are all missing." His voice cracks, "Romelle is gone."

A gasp escapes from Coran as he pales. Ignoring him, Keith quickly steps forward and grabs Sven's good shoulder to reassure him, "We will find her and all the others." As tears run down the Norwegian's cheeks, he reiterates it, "We will find them. Gather the others into the control room, I'll be right there."

At Sven's nod, he turns back to the advisor, "Coran…" The older man stares off into nothing, not answering. Grabbing his shoulder and squeezing it, Keith says his name louder. As the advisor finally meets his gaze, he says, "We are going to need your help. You will need to man the control room as we go out in the lions."

Coran nods then looks back at the bed, "What about Allura?"

"I want two armed guards posted at the door. She does not leave this room and no one outside the immediate medical staff enters it," Keith demands then looks over at the doctor, who nods in agreement.

"Very well," the advisor replies then makes his way to the door.

Keith turns around and walks back to the princess' bed. Bending over her, he kisses her forehead softly as he says, "I'll be back sweetheart." He fondly brushes her hair back away from her face then caresses her cheek once more before pulling away from her.

Walking out of the room, he is pleasantly surprised to find the armed guards already next to the doors. He nods to them then starts walking down the hallway. He does not get far when a worried looking Luella stops him, "Is Princess Allura all right?"

"She is fine, simply sleeping."

"May I go to her?" she asks while placing a hand on his sleeve.

Nodding, the commander looks back at the guards, "Allow her in."

They nod to him and Luella smiles her thanks then quickly moves to the door. Keith turns away and makes his way out of MedTech.

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Moving across the room, Luella pauses when she spots the doctor. He looks back at her for a moment, smiles then says, "She should awaken soon. You may sit beside her if you like." Dr. Gorma goes back to looking at the machines while making notations on his paper.

Luella's eyes move from him to the princess lying in the bed. Allura groans softly, her head turning on the pillow. The doctor moves away from the machines and sets his clipboard down to bend over her, "Princess?"

Picking up the clipboard, Luella hits him over the head with it. He falls sideways, hits his head against the side of the table next to the bed, and falls unconscious to the floor.

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Turning down the hallway that leads to the control room, Keith pauses when he notices a commotion ahead. Moving toward it, he notices a guard bending over a body lying on the floor and asks, "What's going on?"

The guard looks up to reply, "Luella has been attacked…"

Keith's eyes move from the guard to the woman lying prone on the floor. Gasping, he quickly turns around and runs back down the hallway as fast as he can go.

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Sitting down on the bed beside the princess as her eyes flicker open then close again, the poser-Luella whispers, "Princess, I need your help."

"Hmmm…help?" Allura repeats as she forces her eyes open. They close again as she mumbles, "Tired…"

"I know Princess, but I need you to take me to Princess Maia." The poser smiles down at her as she pushes a few errant strands of hair away that had drop into her face as Allura turns her head back toward her to ask, "Maia?"

"Yes Princess, we need to go to her now. She needs our help."

"Keith…" she murmurs.

"He cannot help Princess. We need to go to Maia now," the poser tells her again. She pulls on Allura and helps her sit up in the bed, "Let us go…now."

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Reaching MedTech, Keith slams his hand on the doors then pushes his way through them as they slowly slide open. Running down the hall, he pauses to look into Allura's room to find the poser-Luella holding the princess up. Pulling his blaster out of his pocket, he presses the button to open the door and rushes inside. The poser turns her head to look at him and her eyes flash yellow just as they disappear.

"NO!"

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Pacing impatiently in front of the circle of girls, Lotor's eyes keep moving back to the Princess of Pollux. He smiles wickedly at her as he takes a step toward her. Romelle holds his gaze, her eyes full of derision as she snarls, "Stay away from me!"

Stopping in front of her, Lotor reaches out to touch her cheek, only for Romelle to turn her face away. He laughs at her, "Oh, but I have such fond memories of our times together." Reaching out, he grabs both of her breasts in his hands and squeezes them hard.

As she cries out in pain, Maia strains against her bindings as while roaring at him, "Get your hands off of her, you son of a bitch."

Lotor turns his gaze from Romelle over to the red haired princess. He leers at her as he releases the Polluxian princess and makes his way over to her. Reaching out, he grabs a lank of her long, red hair and tugs on it. His yellow eyes flash at her as he states, "I will enjoy having you…I bet you will be a real hellcat in bed."

Glaring at him, Maia spits into his face. Rage shines in his eyes as he wipes the spittle away. His hand moves fast the next moment, slapping Maia across the face. She turns back to snarl, "You will pay for that."

Laughter erupts out of Lotor as he asks, "How will you do that, Princess? Talk me to death?"

"No, but this will be a good start," Her booted foot flies out, connecting with Lotor's groin before he can react. He howls in pain then yanks his laser sword out of his waistband. A flash of light appears out of the corner of his eye as he starts to swing forward only for a force field to flash between him and the princess. He screams in fury as he turns to find Haggar holding her staff up, "No Prince Lotor, I need her alive."

She gestures down to Princess Allura, who looks around groggily, "Get her tied to her post. We start the ritual now."

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Racing into the control room, Keith bellows, "Turn on Allura's tracker! They just took her!"

Sven pales even more if possible as Coran turns in the command chair to hit the necessary buttons. The radar comes onto the main screen and Keith steps forward as the advisor informs him, "They are over two hundred miles away from here…"

"Get to the lions!"

As the center console rises, Lance stops them, "I have no way to get to Red lion with Maia missing!"

Keith pauses then looks over at Pidge, "Lance will go with you out to Green lion. Take him to Red then both of you join us."

At their nods, the others head for their chutes as Lance and Pidge run together out of the room.

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Lotor stands outside of the circle, leaning against a wall as the witch begins her chanting. His eyes move over each of the princesses in turn. Some of them are fighting against the bonds holding them in place, the last one, Princess Allura, still does not seem to know what is going on as she stares blankly forward. He notes that she and Romelle could almost pass as twins as his eyes lazily move from her back over to her Polluxian cousin.

His gaze slides back to the old witch as Haggar moves to stand in the middle of the circle, holding a crystal up in the air as she continues to chant. A gasp escapes the Doom prince as suddenly, white lights seem to shine around each princess then those lights shoot forward to the crystal and finally down to the old witch, creating a link.

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Staring down at his monitor as they near the location of Allura's tracker, Keith calls out to the others, "We are close. They must be in that set of caves down in the Sulian Valley." He glances down at the radar, "Lance…Pidge, how close are you?"

"Coming onto you now…"

Looking at the monitor, Keith watches the Red and Green lions coming right at them. Changing Black lion's direction, he starts for the ground, "Let's get down there, and be on your guard…we don't know what they have planned for the girls."

"Roger that Cap…"

Black lion lands on the ground on all fours then sits down. The other lions follow suit and soon all of the men meet on the ground. Looking down at the tracker in his hand, Keith directs them, "That way…"

They move forward and soon find themselves at the entrance of a cave. Taking his blaster out of his holster, Keith leads them into the darkness of the tunnel. After many twists and turns, light shines just before another curve. Reaching the end of tunnel, Keith holds up his hand to make them stop. Incredulous at the scene in front of him, he studies the lights from the princesses leading to the witch.

"She's killing them!" Sven tries to race forward, but Keith stops him, "No Sven…try firing on the witch! Lance!"

The lieutenant aims his blaster at Haggar, but the blast ricochets off her and bounces off a wall until it hits a corner and a piece of the ceiling falls. Hunk charges at the old witch, but hits the white light and is thrown back.

"HUNK!"

Sven breaks away from Keith while he is distracted and runs at Romelle. He puts his marked hand against hers, causing their palms to light up then he steps into the beam between Romelle and Haggar.

Taking a step back into the shadows, Lotor watches the man standing in front of Romelle as he caresses her cheek with his free hand then bends his head to kiss her. Blue light mixed with water begins to encircle the couple, breaking up the beam between Romelle and the old witch.

Staring at his friend in awe, Keith finally looks at the other men as Pidge helps Hunk rise, "Do the same thing with your princess…join hands!"

He barely notices the others running at their princesses as he steps near Allura and joins his hand with hers. Her confused, blue eyes settle on his face as their hands light up. She whispers, "Keith…" just before he lowers his mouth to hers.

Lotor cannot help the gasp that escapes him as each of the couples light up in a different color as they kiss. His eyes move to the Princess Allura and the commander. White light shines down on them with lightning shooting out around them, striking the floor. Next to them, red light mixed with fire swirls around Princess Maia and her pilot. His eyes keep moving around the circle to find green light and wind around the youngest couple and yellow light mixed with sand encircling the last couple.

Suddenly the lights begin to move in a circle around all of them, speeding up faster and faster until the colors all seem to blend into one. Lotor yells out in surprise when the beams suddenly come together then hurl at the witch. He listens to her scream then watches her drop to the ground. The lights fade, leaving the pilots standing in front of their princesses. Glancing at the tunnel behind him, Lotor turns around and walks out of the cavern. Taking a communicator off his belt, he orders, "Release the robeast."


	42. Chapter 42

Many thanks for all the reviews last week, I appreciated all of them! After a week's worth of vacation, my desk at work showed my absence and I had little time to respond to people after being sent on an unexpected business trip as well. This is the final chapter of Origins, enjoy!

Until next time…Mertz

I make no claims to Voltron or any WEP characters.

Origins: A Legend Unfolds: Chapter 42

Opening his eyes as he slowly ends the kiss, Keith looks back down into Allura's glazed, blue eyes. Sliding his hand up to cup her cheek in reassurance, he glances around them to find Haggar lying prone on the ground in the middle of the circle. Turning back to Allura, he smiles down at her as he pulls a knife off his waist belt. Cutting through the ropes holding her to the pole, Keith swings her up into his arms then turns to face the other men. Each is holding a princess in their arms.

Devika shoves her face into Pidge's neck and clings to him. Kaya wraps her arms around Hunk and kisses him on the cheek. Sven is holding Romelle close to his side with his good arm as she cries and Lance is ignoring Maia as she demands to be let down while walking toward him. Turning his attention back to Allura, Keith finds her staring blankly up into his eyes as she murmurs, "I am sorry…"

Confused, Keith asks, "For what?"

"Luella told me Maia needed me…then she was not Luella…she turned into Haggar…she tricked me…." Tears slide down her face. Clinging to him, she hides her face in his neck.

Tightening his hold on her as she stops rambling, Keith whispers, "Sweetheart, she tricked you when you weren't fully awake. It's all right."

The others gather around as well. Keith smiles when he notices that Maia is now standing next to Lance, though his hand is still possessively around her waist. The Fire Kingdom princess looks across at them, her concerned gaze probing as she asks, "Is Allura all right?"

Keith nods then replies, "I think the drug they gave her combined with the medication she had taken for her migraine is still affecting her."

"Makes sense…" When Keith gives her a confused look, Maia adds, "She was acting strange the whole time. Like she did not know what was going on around her."

They hear a sudden crash and the sound like that of a roaring animal. Keith swears as he looks around at the other men, "This isn't over yet. We need to get to the lions." His eyes drift back down to the woman in his arms then he looks over at Maia, "Can you take Allura back to the compound?"

"NO!"

Keith struggles to keep from dropping the princess as she wraps her arms around him while crying, "No…will not go…will not go…" He barely hears the other women saying they will not go as well above her cries. He finally yells, "FINE! STOP ALLURA!" As she settles down, he looks back at the others, "We have to go…now."

He shares a concerned look with the other men as he says, "Get them buckled in…"

Sven nods then starts back for the door to the cavern, pulling Romelle along with him. As Hunk and Pidge follow him, leading Devika and Kaya out, Lance moves up next to him. They walk together across the cavern and head for the tunnel leading out. His tone is casual but concerned, "Will she release you so you can fly?"

"I'll strap her in. Don't worry about us." His eyes drift over to Maia as she walks along side of them. Keeping his voice low so only Lance can hear, Keith orders, "Make sure she doesn't do anything stupid…"

Lance lets out a snorting sound in reply as Maia turns her attention to them, "What are you two talking about?" The lieutenant wraps his arm back around her waist and pulls her to hurry along as he quietly replies, "Nothing…"

Keith glances back into the cavern once more to find the witch still lying prone on the ground. Sighing, he decides to leave her there and quickly makes his way toward the tunnel with Allura still clinging to him.

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Flying up into the air in his personal fighter ship, Lotor pushes the unit to fly as fast as possible as he races to the Drule command ship waiting for him. His eyes follow the robeast as it moves along, destroying anything in its path. Lotor smiles to himself as he flies into the command ship's landing bay. Docking the ship, he quickly rises from his seat while opening the cockpit. Jumping down from the ship, the prince calls out, "Where is Cova?"

"Awaiting your arrival in the control room, sire," answers a robot.

"Very well, send someone down to the cave to retrieve the witch."

The robot bows, "I will see it done, Highness."

Lotor leaves the landing bay and quickly makes his way up to the control room of his ship. Walking in, he finds the King of Pollux watching the monitors closely as Avok the robeast continues to move across the Arus landscape. The king turns to face him, noticing that he is alone, he asks, "Did the witch's plan go awry?"

"Very much so," Lotor shrugs in an unconcerned way, "Your son will now have the honor of annihilating those lions and the pilots within them."

"It will be his pleasure," replies Cova as he turns back to watch the monitor.

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Launching the lion skyward, Keith feels a thrill of fear going through him at the sight of the robeast in front of him. It almost looks manlike, with dark blue-gray skin and powerfully built arms and legs. The eyes are simply a pale yellow, but they seem to glow with malice as it moves toward the lions. Body armor covers the beast's chest and legs, with a sword resting in a scabbard at its side. A battle helmet with a razor sharp, pointed top covers most of its head. It opens its mouth and yells, reminding Keith of the battle cry of a Viking warrior. He glances back at Allura to find her staring at the monitor in horror. Her frightened gaze moves back to him and a sense of determination goes through the commander as he states, "We will be all right Allura," and then he turns back to the controls.

Inside Blue lion, Sven listens to the commander order, "Take flanking positions, we need to knock it down to give us time to form Voltron."

"Sven…"

Turning his head to look at her, Sven watches Romelle cover her mouth in horror as she cries out, "It is Avok!"

Looking back at the monitor, the lieutenant-commander swears broadly as he finally recognizes the Polluxian prince in his robeast form and hits the comm. unit, "Keith! We know that robeast!"

Flying past the robeast, Keith turns the lion around and dives to avoid a tree thrown at his lion as he looks it over once more. Finally looking closely at its face, he swears as he recognizes Avok then replies back, "God damn Lotor!" His tone turns serious as he states, "We have no choice Sven."

"I know…" sighs the Norwegian as he looks regretfully back at Romelle. Tears run down her face as she murmurs her brother's name. Turning forward to look out the monitors, he swears softly. Following Keith's orders, Sven directs the lion at Avok's feet and yells, "Proton missiles!"

The robeast roars when the missiles explode near his feet, the blast making him fall forward to the ground.

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"Avok!" screams Cova, staring at the screen. He turns back to the Doom prince to demand, "Fire everything you have at those lions!"

Lotor smiles maliciously at him then lazily turns to his command center, "Send out the fighters to destroy those lions."

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Dust settles around Avok as he slowly rises. Keith wastes no time and ceases the opportunity, "Now, form Voltron!"

"Keith! Doom fighters on our six!"

Lance's warning comes too late as Keith feels the lion lurch from a blow to the side. Yanking hard on the controls, he straightens out Black lion then looks out the monitor to find all of the lions engaging the Doom fighters. Avok finds his footing and soon engages the lions. A badly timed swing barely misses Green lion, Pidge manages to swerve out the way just in time. Shaking his head, he calls out, "No! We need to form Voltron!"

"Great idea! Any suggestions on how we can get away from the fighters and the robeast long enough to accomplish it?" asks Lance in a sarcastic tone as he continues to fire on the Doom fighters in front of him. He curses savagely a moment later when his lion is struck by a laser from the command ship.

Keith starts swearing as the command ship joins the fray, firing on him as he tries to dodge missiles from the fighters. He flips the lion mid-air to avoid the grabbing hands of the robeast then dives for the ground as Avok pulls out a sword to swing at him. Maneuvering the lion between the robeast's spread legs, the commander jumps off a nearby rock and cries out, "Proton missiles!" as he aims at Avok's back. Through his system audio, he hears the robeast cry out in pain as the missile hits hit their mark. Lashing out, it turns with lightning fast speed and tries to slice through Black lion with his sword. Keith yanks hard on the controls, so that the sword just misses them then cries out in shock when a missile blast from the command ship hits them in the side and knocks the lion to the ground.

"Keith?"

The fearful sound of Allura's voice races through Keith's blood as he sits upright in his chair. Suddenly the mark on his hand flashes bright. He can feel the energy going through him as the light from his mark moves up his arm and into his body, illuminating him as brightly as his mark.

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From Yellow lion, Hunk yells, "Pidge! Four o' clock, there's three fighters coming at you, move!"

He watches the Green lion dive to avoid the missiles then turn around to fire on the fighters. His gaze moves to the robeast and he watches the Black lion narrowly miss being hit by the sword only for a missile from the command ship hit the lion in the side, knocking it over. "Keith!" Hunk yells as he listens to Kaya gasp behind him.

Changing direction to go help, Hunk's mouth drops open as he watches Black lion stand, its mouth opens and a lightning bolt fires from it, hitting the robeast in the chest. Avok falls backward onto the ground with a roar of pain. He continues to watch thunderstruck as the Black lion jumps forward to avoid a blast from the command ship then opens its mouth once more. Another lightning bolt escapes the lion and flies up at the ship, hitting one of the cannons. Dumbfounded, Hunk asks, "Keith, how the hell are you doing that?"

Inside Black lion, Keith feels the energy leaving him as he pulls the lion back up into the air and replies, "I have no idea Hunk." In the back of his mind, he remembers what Queen Arielle told him about the lion reacting to the pilot's emotions, but pushes the thought away as he calls out, "While the robeast is down, let's form Voltron!"

Devika watches from her side seat in Green lion as Pidge replies, "Copy that Cap!" and files up into the air in the formation needed to form Voltron. Closing her bright green eyes, she quickly whispers a little prayer.

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Staring at the monitors, Lotor grimaces as the ship shakes from the lightning strike that takes out one of his laser cannons. His eyes narrow as he watches the lions move together into a reverse flying V and calls out, "Fire everything we have! Do not let those lions form Voltron!"

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Flying up alongside Black lion, Lance listens to Keith start calling out the formation sequence then swears broadly as he feels his lion being struck by a missile. Hitting the comm. unit, he calls out, "Hurry up Keith! They are trying to hammer us!"

"I'm going as fast as I can!"

From her place in the side seat, Maia watches on the monitor as several fighters race up toward the lions even as the command ship continues to fire on them. The lion shudders again and Lance jerks on the controls as he yells, "Red can't take much more of this Keith! Hurry up!"

"I'll give you the time you need…" states Maia calmly.

Turning his head to look at his wife, Lance yells, "Don't you dare!" just as she disappears in a flash of light.

"MAIA!"

"Lance! What's going on?"

The sound of the commander's worried voice drags the lieutenant back to the present as he hits the radio button to angrily inform him, "My wife's gone to do something stupid." He grimaces as he listens to Keith swear before going back to the formation sequence.

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Appearing in the back of the control center of the command ship, Maia listens to King Cova demand, "Avok, get up! Do not let them form Voltron!" then he turns his head to say something to the Doom prince when he notices her. Before he can give a warning, fireballs form in Maia's hands and she sends them streaking across the room at the control panels for the ship. Next, she dives to the side to avoid the lightning bolt sent her way by the king as the prince orders his men to take her down.

Smiling to herself, Maia puts her hands together as she rises and forms a line of fire that extends from her hands then lashes out like a whip as she throws it forward at the advancing soldiers. She turns to avoid another lightning strike but cries out in pain as a laser shot hits her in the shoulder, sending her backward against the wall.

Landing on the ground, the princess rolls off to her side and throws a fireball with her remaining good arm, making Lotor dive to the side before disappearing.

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Barely paying attention to Keith as he finishes the formation sequence and the lion heads roar in turn, Lance swears to himself, "God dammit Maia, where the hell are you?" He glances behind him to her still empty seat then looks back out the monitor as Keith places Voltron in front of the robeast and exclaims, "Sting ray missiles, fire!"

A flash of light alerts him to his wife's return and Lance gasps as he turns to find his wife on the floor of the lion, her hand to her wounded shoulder as she informs him, "I messed up."

"SHIT!" Turning back to the controls, Lance calls out, "Keith, take control of Red, Maia's hurt!"

He barely hears Keith's reply as he throws off the shoulder harness and grabs the first aid kit off the wall before sinking to his knees in front of her while demanding, "What happened?"

Maia flinches as he rips away the top of her shirt so that he can better see her shoulder then replies, "I took out the weapon's center on the command ship, but one of the robots hit me before I could disappear."

She can feel the anger coming off her husband in waves as he glares at her then states, "When this is over and we are back on the ground, I'm going to give you the spanking you deserve for doing something that stupid!"

Arching an eyebrow at him, Maia retorts, "The only time your hands will touch my ass is when we make love, Lance McClain!"

He mutters several undeterminable things as he quickly tapes her shoulder. He looks away at the monitor for a moment as he listens to the sound of the battle around them and grimaces. Turning back to his task, he quickly finishes then kisses her forehead as he orders, "Get buckled back in," then hurries back into his command chair.

Keith spins away from the knives Avok throws his way then turns back as he calls out, "Ion darts!"

The robeast screams as it turns away from them to protect its eyes from the darts. Briefly turning his attention to several of the fighters coming at Voltron from the side, the commander yells, "Spinning laser blades!"

He watches the blades go through the fighters as he turns his attention back to the robeast. He glances briefly at his side monitor as Lance announces, "Maia will be fine. She took out the weapons center on the command ship."

"That would explain why they stopped attacking," replies Pidge, not giving Keith time to answer. Instead, the commander orders, "Let's finish this! Form blazing sword!"

Running forward with Voltron, he tries to slice through the robeast only for Avok to bring up his sword to parry the blow. The commander yells as he brings up Green lion's arm to ward off a blow. Using Red lion, he yells, "Lion torch!"

Avok screams as red-hot flames shoot out of the lion's mouth into his face, causing him to drop his sword arm. Taking advantage, Keith grabs Avok's shoulders and flips him over Voltron's shoulder. Racing at him, he cries out as he comes down hard with the sword, putting it through Avok's heart. Yanking the sword out, he pulls Voltron up into the air, as an electrical current seems to go through Avok as the robeast screams out a final time just before it explodes.

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"NO!" Cova turns on Lotor as the prince stares angrily at the monitors, "YOU SON OF A BITCH! YOU KILLED MY SON!" A lightning ball starts to form in the king's hand only to disappear as Cova gasps when he stares down at the knife neatly imbedded in his chest. As he drops to his knees, Cova looks up to see Lotor smiling maliciously at him while stating, "Perhaps Pollux will be like Arus after all…"

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As Keith turns Voltron toward the Drule command ship, Sven looks back at Romelle as the Polluxian princess cries, "No! Avok!" He starts to throw off his shoulder harness when he hears the commander say, "Something is falling from the ship!"

Looking back out the monitor, he watches as the monitors magnify enough to show the body of the Polluxian king falling toward the ground.

"NO! FATHER!"

Quickly getting out of his seat, Sven reaches Romelle just as she releases her seat buckle and tries to race forward to the monitor, as if to stop the events unfolding in front of her. Wrapping his arms around her, he holds her close as the Polluxian princess starts screaming with her grief.

Inside Black lion, Keith grimaces as the sounds of Romelle's pain reaches them. He looks back to find tears running down Allura's face as she stares helplessly at the monitor as well. Forcing down the lump he feels in the back of his throat, the commander calls out, "Let's get back to Storm Kingdom. I'll keep control for now."

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When he finally reaches the sky around Storm Kingdom, Keith calls out, "Sven, can you fly?"

Within Blue lion, Sven struggles to rise to his feet while picking up Romelle. She does not speak as she continues to cling to him while crying. Sitting down in the command chair, he releases her long enough to answer, "Yes, we can detach now."

"Roger that," replies Keith, "Detaching now."

As Voltron breaks back down into its lion parts, Lance calls out, "I'm heading for Fire Kingdom, need to get Maia to the doctor there…"

Before Keith can answer, Hunk speaks up, "I need to get Kaya back to Earth Kingdom. Sophia and Audric will be worried sick."

Sighing as he listens to Pidge add in that Devika needs to return to Wind Kingdom long enough to assure her mother that she is all right, Keith orders, "Very well. Take the morning off people. I think we earned it today. I want everyone to check in by lunch however."

After everyone agrees, Keith bids them farewell with, "Try to get some rest people."

He watches the Red, Green and Yellow lions take off into the sky. Glancing down, he finds Blue lion flying into Storm Kingdom's lair before looking back at Allura. The princess stares at him, her eyes now clear, the drug that affected her so badly earlier having finally worn off. Her eyes are sad as she murmurs, "Poor Romelle."

"Yes, I know," he tries to soothe her, "Sven will take good care of her."

She simply nods her head at him then whispers, "Take me home."

Sighing, Keith gives a short nod of his head then turns back to the controls and guides the lion down to its lair. Landing, he spots Sven carrying Romelle toward the entrance to the lair just before turning off his monitors. Taking the key out of the system, he stands up from the command chair and turns toward the princess. She stares off into the distance beyond him, another tear escaping to slide down her cheek.

Reaching for her, the commander unbuckles her from the seat then pulls her up into his arms, "It will be all right, Allura. I promise you."

"How…how can you…promise me…that?" she asks between sniffles.

Pulling back so he can look at her, Keith cups her cheek with his hand. His thumb sweeps away the tears as he whispers, "We're still alive, aren't we?"

"Ye…Yes…" she stutters out as she sucks in a breath.

Leaning forward, he kisses her forehead then her lips. Looking back into her eyes, Keith states, "I love you Allura. As long as we're alive and together, everything else will work out." Pulling her back into his arms, he holds her close to him as he reiterates, "It will be all right."

Allura finally nods then pushes her face into his chest and clings to him. She can feel his lips near her ear as he whispers, "Come on, let's get you inside. I want Dr. Gorma to check you over again."

Refusing to answer him, she simply tightens her hold on Keith until he picks her up into his arms and carries her out of the lion. Swiftly landing on the ground, he starts for the entrance only to have Coran run up to him and demand, "Is she all right?"

"Yes, but I'm going to have Dr. Gorma check her over anyway."

The advisor nods to him but his eyes remain on the princess until Keith sighs and whispers to her, "Look at Coran, sweetheart. He needs to see your face to assure himself that you are fine."

Turning her head, Allura meets her advisor's concerned gaze and feels more tears slip down her cheeks. She feels Keith slowly lowering her to the ground then she takes a step forward to the man that raised her as he pulls her into a hug while whispering, "It will be all right Princess."

Laughter mixed with tears bubbles out of her as Allura replies, "You are the second one to tell me that in the last five minutes."

Coran meets Keith's ironic gaze and smiles at him as he responds, "Well, then you know it will be."

Shaking his head at the pair, Keith steps forward to place a hand on Allura's shoulder, "Come on, let's get you to Dr. Gorma."

"I am fine Keith," she replies as she steps back from her advisor to look at him.

"I know," answers Keith then he adds, "But I'll feel better after Gorma agrees to that statement as well."

As she releases an unladylike snort, Keith wraps his arm around her waist, kisses the side of her head then leads her back into the compound, with the advisor in their wake.

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Stepping back, Pidge watches Devika being hugged by her mother and brother. He smiles as Harold finally releases her to run over to him to give him a hug as well, "Thank you for bringing back my sister."

Patting him on the back, Pidge looks up to find Queen Arielle moving toward him with her arm still around Devika's shoulders, "Yes Darrell, I cannot thank you enough for saving my daughter."

Shrugging uncomfortably at the praise and feeling his cheeks turning red, the pilot mumbles, "Well…she is…my wife…"

"Yes, but I know that is not the only reason you saved her," responds the queen as she bend toward him and kisses his cheek. Her eyes are full of humor as she states, "Darrell, you are part of this family now. You will have to get used to the idea of dealing with a mother."

Devika giggles as Pidge's cheek brighten even more if possible. Moving away from her mother, she hugs him close and whispers, "You are one of us now."

The door to the room opens and Barden walks in. He smiles at the princess as he says, "It is good to see you safe, Princess Devika." As she runs up to him to hug him, the gruff man looks over her head to Pidge and simply nods to him.

Smiling to himself, Pidge thinks, _'That's about the only kind of acceptance I'll ever get from that man…'_

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Hunk feels himself being tackled by both Sophia and Audric as he leads Kaya into the Earth Kingdom compound. Their voices are slightly muffled as the group hug continues and Kaya finally says, "I am fine! Tsuyoshi saved me."

Sophia pulls back and wipes tears off her cheeks as she replies, "Thank you, my brother."

"Uhh, you're welcome," answers Hunk, a little embarrassed by the attention.

"Did you kick Lotor's ass?" asks the prince, excitedly.

"AUDRIC!"

He sheepishly turns to face his mother, as she demands, "Where have you learned that kind of language?"

Not waiting for an answer, Kaya turns to look at Hunk, her hands on her hips. He simply shrugs at her as he coughs and says, "He…ahh…might have heard…"

"I do not want to know!" retorts Kaya then she adds, "You and the others will be more careful in the future with your language when you are around our son."

"Yes ma'am…" replies Hunk, trying to look apologetic but failing as a smile crosses his face.

Sophia laughs, "Kaya, the man just saved your life and you are going to berate him?"

"When your own children start using inappropriate language because of their father then you can say what you want, sister," snorts the princess before she takes the sting out of her words by stretching up to Hunk to give him a kiss on the cheek.

He wraps an arm around her then picks up Audric with his other arm as he asks, "So, what's for dinner?"

Laughing at her brother-in-law, Sophia directs them down the hallway, "The cooks are preparing a celebration dinner. It should be ready soon."

"Great, I'm starving!" interjects Audric, making Hunk laugh. The big man's smile drops a moment later as he notices Bandor standing a few feet away from them, looking tentative. He discretely nudges Kaya to gain her attention then nods in the young prince's direction. Kaya sighs sadly, having forgotten in the excitement of their return that Romelle's brother was there.

"Audric, please go with Sophia to the dining room. I will be along as soon as I can," the princess directs her son.

Looking curiously at his mother, Audric finally shrugs and starts down the hall, "Come on Bandor!"

"No, we need to talk to him."

The sound of Hunk's voice stops the young prince and he shares a confused look with Bandor before turning back to his mother, "What is wrong?"

Kaya does not answer him as she looks across at her sister. Sophia nods to her in understanding then bends to turn Audric by his shoulders away from them, "Come with me. I shall see if Cook has an extra apple tart you can have while we wait for your mother and father."

They wait until the sound of Audric's reply disappears down the hall before Hunk kneels in front of Bandor. He smiles sadly at the young boy then starts explaining the events of the last few hours to him.

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Standing in the back of the patient room, Lance watches the Fire Kingdom doctor closely as he finishes bandaging Maia's arm while saying, "Now Highness, I know you will disregard my advice like you usually do, but I would like you to rest the arm for the next couple of days."

"She will follow it."

Maia arches an eyebrow at Lance as he steps forward to inform her, "You will follow it Maia or by God, I will give you that spanking I promised you in the lion."

"I would like to see how you would accomplish that?" she questions as she holds up her other hand and a fireball appears.

"It would be worth it!" retorts the lieutenant as the doctor simply laughs at them quietly. As the fireball disappears, he places tape over the bandage to hold it in place then places a sling around her, keeping her injured arm near her stomach. Patting her knee, he turns back to the lieutenant, "I will leave her in your care then," and walks out of the room.

Lance walks up to her as she jumps off the examination table and pulls her into a hug, "I'm serious Maia, don't do something that stupid again." His grip tightens on her, "I don't know what I would've done if I'd lost you."

Her irritation with him disappears as she returns the hug with her good arm, "I am sorry Lance. But you needed time to form Voltron."

She listens to him sigh deeply then feels a single, hard swat on her bottom before he pulls back, "That will have to do for now…"

Glaring at him as she reaches back to rub the sore spot, Maia snorts, "That was hardly fair, you took advantage!"

"With you, I have to take every advantage I can get," Lance retorts then smiles wickedly at her as he adds, "I'll kiss it and make it feel better if you wish?"

Feeling laughter bubbling up inside of her, the princess takes a step toward him, kisses him softly then whispers, "There are other places that require your attention more."

She pulls away from him and starts for the door, only pausing to glance back at him to ask, "Coming?"

"Not yet…but I have a feeling I will soon enough!" replies the lieutenant as he catches up to her, wraps his arm around her waist and leads her from the room.

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Later that night:

Moonlight shines down on the lake outside of the Storm Kingdom compound. Ripples of water move as the couple in the water swim toward the shore. The man pulls himself out of the water first, a smile on his face as he reaches down for his companion. She returns the smile as he lifts her out of the water then holds out a towel for her. Allura accepts it gratefully and wraps it around herself to fight off the slight chill of the night air against her wet skin. Her eyes fall on Keith as he picks up a second towel, wipes himself off then moves to sit down on the blanket they had draped across the ground prior to their night swim.

He holds a hand out to her and she stares at it for a moment before placing her hand within his, allowing herself to be pulled down toward the ground. She sits beside him, her eyes searching his as they slightly glow with the light of the moon reflecting off them. Glancing away, Allura stares out at the water again as she quietly says, "Thank you for bringing me out here tonight. Even though I wanted to go home, I found I could not bear to be stuck underground…not after..." She stops speaking and casts a quick look Keith's way then back at the water once more.

Keith smiles at her sudden shyness as he reaches out to caress her cheek. His voice is equally quiet as he replies, "I know, I could sense your agitation when Dr. Gorma was looking you over."

Turning her head enough to look at him again, Allura gets lost in his eyes as he shifts to move closer to her. He slowly leans down to lightly brush his lips across hers. His hand moves from her cheek, down her shoulder and arm to take her left hand within his right. Their markings light up as she intertwines their fingers and leans into him as Keith deepens the kiss.

He breaks the kiss a moment later to whisper against her lips, "God, if Haggar would have succeeded…I don't know what I would have done."

Allura smiles against his lips then places another chaste kiss on them before leaning into Keith to rest her head on his chest, underneath his chin. She feels his arms encase her as she whispers, "Do you think it is over?"

Releasing a deep sigh, Keith tightens his grip on her as he answers, "No. This battle is, but not the war." Shifting, he lies back on the blanket, pulling the princess along with him so that she rests along his side. Looking up at the night sky, the commander stares at the twin full moons above them, contentment filling him as he continues to hold Allura. Reality comes back as he thinks about the events of the day and he says, "I don't know what Zarkon will do next, but we will be ready for him."

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Planet Doom:

In the royal chambers, the old witch cowers on the floor as the King of Doom paces around her. His anger is palpable as he moves from one end of the room to the other, his hand crushing a goblet holding blood-red wine so that it slides over the rim and down along his robes. He pauses, his fangs glistening in the firelight as he swears, "Haggar, you old fool! I should have never listened to you ten years ago. If I would have killed all those little bitches then, there would be no Voltron now!" Growling, he throws the remains of the goblet down at her, drops of the wine spattering across the old witch's face as she continues to silently kneel.

Sitting on a couch and watching the proceedings with bored interest, Prince Lotor sips from his own goblet. His eyes shine with vindictive happiness as the king continues to berate the old witch. "How could you let them best you, witch? Not only do the princesses of Arus still have their powers, they are growing stronger!"

"Sire…please…I humbly beg you…"

"You damned well better beg forgiveness!" interrupts Zarkon as he snarls at her, drool sliding off his fangs and landing on the floor in front of him while his body shakes with his anger. "I had Arus defeated! The lions were gone, Voltron was gone! All that remained was peasants to be scooped up as needed. Now, I have to worry about Voltron messing with my plans for those fools of Galaxy Garrison!"

Haggar bends so that her face is near the floor, "All is not lost, Sire…I promise you that I…"

"YOU WILL DO NOTHING MORE OLD WITCH!" Zarkon screams at her. Suddenly he becomes very calm, his eyes moving to the doors as a new person walks into the room. His yellow eyes flash as he says, "Lucky for you Haggar, I have a backup plan."

He walks over to the young man and smiles at him, "Are you ready to do as you've been groomed to do since you were born?"

"Yes, Sire," the young man replies, his sapphire, blue eyes flashing with malevolence as he smiles at the King of Doom.

vvvvvvvvvv

Now, before everyone starts screaming at me for the sequel, I'll tell you now it's in the works. However, life is going to interfere with my writing for a while. I have to study for a certification test for my profession so won't be able to work on it until that is done. No fear…you shall see Origins 2 soon…just not as soon as you would like. ;)

Mertz


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